The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1857-03-18

The historian of Comodore Perry's expedition
to Japan, concludes that the Japanese are dehcl-
ent in knowledge of medicine and surgery;
but he says, some Of their medical preparations
are very remarkable, producing most singular
effect. OF these (says the writer) there Is one
spoken of by Titsingh, who saw its application
and its consequences; and from some 0. the ofll-
GERS of our expedition, we have heard OF thls
preparation, Of which we believe they have
brought home specimens. Titsingh thus writes:
Instead of enclosing the bodies of the dead in
coffins of a length and breadth proportonate to
the stature and bulk of the deceased, they place
the body in a tub three feet high two feet and a
half in diameter at the top, and two feet at the
bottom. 1t is difficult to conceive how the body
of q grown person can be compressed into so
small space, when the limbs made rigid by
death, cannot be bent in any way. The Japan
ese to whom | made this observation, told me
that they produced the result by means of u
particular powder called Dosid, which they in
troduce into the ears, nostrils and mouth of the
deceased, after which the limbs all at once ac-
quire astonishing aexibility. As they promised
to perform the ceremony in my presence, /
could not do otherwise than suspend my judge
ment, lest should condemn, as an absurd iic-
tion, fact which, indeed surpassed our concep-
tions but may yet be susceptible of a plausible
explanation, especially by galvanism, the recent
ly discovered eHectS OI WHICH also dppedTeu w
first to exceed the bounds of credulity The ex-
pertinent accordingly took place in the month
of October, 1888, when the cold was pretty Sc
we're. A young Dutchman having died in our
factory at Dezma, directed the physician to
cause the body 10 be exposed to the air, on a
table placed near an open window, in order that
it might become completely stiff. Next morning
several japanese, some of the officers of our fac
tory, and myself, went to examine the corpse,
which was as hard as piece of wood. One OF
the interpreters named Derby, drew from his
bosom q Sdntdck or pocket book, and took out
of it an oblong paper filed with a coarse powder
resembling sand. This was the famous Dosid
powder. lie put a pinch into the ears another
! pinch into the nostrils, and third into the
MOUTH and presently, whether from the effect
of this drug, OF of some trick which could not
detect, the arms, which had been crossed over
his breast dropped off themselves, and in less
than twenty minutes, by the watch, the body
recovered its feXibiity. | attributed this phe-
nomenon to the action of some subtle poison but
was assured that the DoSia powder, so far from
being poisonous, was most excellent medicine
in child-bearing, for disease Of the eyes, and for
other maladies. An infusion of this powder ta-
ken even in perfect health, is said to have vir-
tues which cause ii to be in request among the
japanese of all casses-It cheers the spirits and
refreshes the body. 1t is carefully tied up in a
white cloth and dried, after being used, as it
will serve a great number of times without los
ing its virtues. ua.g