Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - X. The Japanese ambulance and hospital service
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120 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
But another sickness, not at all infectious, did
more harm to the Japanese army here than the
worst epidemic, namely, Beri-beri. This disease,
supposedly caused by some microbe in the rice,
is not uncommon in Japan, but apparently the
microbe attains its fullest development in the
climate of Southern Manchuria. The disease is
not dangerous if taken in time, though it makes
the patient unfit for service for a long period ;
but when allowed to take firm hold in a body it
often proves fatal, the lower extremities becoming
paralyzed, and death following from paralysis of
the heart. Symptoms : — Headache, general
weakness, pains in and swelling of the legs, espe-
cially the calves, and total inability to walk or
even stand up. According to the statistics the
total number of troops attacked was ;
June . 81
July . . • i,Sii
August . . 8,069
September .
Total
•
6,165
. 15,826
The surgeon Inspector-general tried at first to
overcome the difficulty by substituting wheat for
rice ;
but during the rainy season much of the
wheat went bad in transport, and the soldiers,
who were accustomed to a rice diet, did not like
wheat. The cooking of wheat was very difficult
with the utensils at hand, so the scheme had to
be abandoned. When, however, the disease grew
to such great dimensions, the Inspector-general
ordered a mixed diet of wheat and rice, and from
the end of August the daily rations of the men
were 2 lbs. rice and ^ lb. wheat. This proved
salutary, and the number of sick steadily decreased
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