Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-27
THE JAPANESE ANNA.
THE ARTIST WHO KNEADS ANc
RUBS THE MUSCLES.
Oriental Massage as Practieed Among
onr Almond Eyed Brethren-An Old
Woman's Hard Work-A Restful Pro-
CA pane.e Medical Students.

Oriental Massage Practieed Among
our Almond Eyed Brethren-An Old
woman's Hard work-A RestfuI Pro-
eess--Japanese Medical Students.
As am sitting in my room there comes
10 my ears the sound of q shril pipe,
sounding not unlike fife. The traveller
in japan go where he may, almost invaTi-
ably hear, the sound ar night, and will lie
Told in answer 10 his inquiries that the
performance Is professional shampooer
or ANNA Many Of these people are blind,
and at night pass up and down the streets,
feeling their way with long sticks. which
tu-g hold in one hand while with the
n.1er hand they play upon the bamboo
..5e. which seems TO notify the world of
raer prs@e!sce.
Tie an.i.l Il not It shampoOer iii the
american -as-e oi the term. He does not
cuuiiHc his operations 10 the head and
uair. lie Fr,ci ce- what is known by the
French ~ TIE ~ sage His art consists
o.. Iueadu- all the muscles Of the bo''y
and bringing them into play, and he i, re-
gard~d AS q i-eful functionary, second only
10 Importance 70 the physician as a healer
Of PHYSICAL disorder The art is prac-
tccd not only by Ineu. but also by women,
and al almost every inn where | have
stopped among the first persons to proffer
their services have been the ammas. Only
once have yielded TO their invitations to
allow my body 70 be treated like piece
Of dough AMI that WAS III Subasbirt i'm
mcdiate.y after my descent from Full.
Tired and aching from the severe exer-
t.ou u climbing the mountain the sug-
ge-tou Of DR. kuippiug that il might be
well t1 allow an ANNA to shampoo Us
was accede'! 10, more from curiosity az to
tine possible results than from any faith
la tue efficacy # the treatment.
The particular ANNA who came to our
room and shamypoed Us was an ungainly
and aWfully ugly woman Of middle age,
whose blackeued teeth when she smiled
looked ike u row Of watermelon seeds set
IL her face During the process had an
opportunity 10 question her fully as to the
business, and learned from her quite
number Of Interesting facts She informed
Us that before commencing the practice OF
her art She has been obliged to serve an
apprrnt iceship Of three years during
which time she read a large numner Of
japanese books teaching OF the human
body and especially The muscle, and had
become learned in anatomy and phvsi-
Ology. she had practlced the massage for
tea years already. and had by means If it
GA,ncd her livelihood she stated TINT
size was abe IN one evening, from d TO ID,
10 treat ipur persons, VINO pald htr lee
81 hlteeh sen apiece Her daily earnings
were. however not more than thirty sen
on an average, or ABOUT twenty-four cents
Of American currency.
Ia the operation OF shampoolng as
rfac'.cei 10y tue aiiiiht' the patient hes
upon Ini'h or rug, WhIie the ANNA
khtei7 i'' '"" MN. me Hf7t act III the
crini' "eAi' "'th the abdominal cavity.
liac.HT one mana on either SIDE oil the
"'"'"i'ri "h'Ne the h'P~. The ANNA com
pre- ,-rS Inc body Iatrraisy number of
l.i"'S' 'Hth u. f'S MP the loose ioils OF
Hr-"' ne Ehe''d7 ana pihthes them, at the
same 'iiir iuah,IG passes WHlch CORE
ep"Hd ia iHeif "-rt' 'ioh WIN that OF the
c"'nu. ili, P'r'l"h "t the treatment
'hItd' e'ch leg Us AtlAched and vigorously
RUINED ana h''.o t. the process ternlh-
hlinE by a smart ua7thad' administered
10 lie sores 81 thr ieet.
ID running ana hhca'ilng the muscles
use Is mace ot round ban OF boNWo"d,
'hnuEh 'he "il'na |" whose tftai n"ht
su'll' 'e" eil'P'"3 'I Only hef myers ana
hhucNlrS. me- arms ma chcSt are treated
ar '"e ie9S' ANA '"'H 'he l'atleht Is turned
over i"cc """""AI"' ana the shoulders
dhd BACK afr pune f''i ana khcaded un.i
'Ae hrraIIi almost i'iH'iNeS me body. The
'HI re- performance ends with vigorous
rlhbin3 oil the meek winch, ia my case,
-rrned to threaten 'he dIsIocaticn of the
'"rf!cal Nert'"rf. Inc amount OF
.t'ens'h IN fingers ana wrists displayed
10y me ANNA is quite feh"rkaiIe Our
h'Eluh Nbiii ihNhl lDHf persons IN SuCCt'i-