The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-05-15
BY CARL SCOTT.

the ferment company was soon started
again, and was slowly progressing
when a new trouble arose which re-
suited in its permanent dissolution.
The trouble came this time from the
whisky trust, in which disagreements
as to the control of the brewing work
began to appear. DR.. Takamine was
obliged to sever his connection with
the trust. but he was still bound to it
by the terms of the contract previously
entered into, and could not undertake
an independent work. He finally insti-
tuted a suit against the trust and re-
covered his right to his discovery. But
owing to the predominating influence
of the trust, he could not persuade
enough capitalists to assist him in
forming a new company, and he aban-
doned the ferment work which he had
started with such high hopes"
But the Edison of Japan" as he has
often been called by his fellow coun-
trymen, is not the man to despair. He
gave up ideas of business, and con-
tinued his studies in analytical chemis-
try from a medical standpoint. He was
rewarded by two of the most valuable
discoveries made in that field in mod
ern times.
The first Of these discoveries was the
method of isolating what is now called
TAXA diastase" from certain ingredi-
ents in terminating grain. This is prin-
cipally obtained from "kopji," the Jap
anese ferment and is now regarded as
an indispensable article by medical
men all over the world in the treatment
of dyspepsia.
The Discovery of Adrenalin.
The second and more important dis
covery was the isolation of the active
principle of the suprarenal gland
known as adrenalin. This discovery
had long been sought for by the scien-
lists of Europe and America, but with
out result. The announcement of the
discovery in 1901 by the Japanese cneul-
list was, therefore, warmly received by
the scientific world. This new drug
has a wonderful power on the blood
vessels, increasing their blood pressure,
and is an indispensable agency in per-
forming modern surgical operations. 1t
is obtained by treating the disintegrat-
ed suprarenal gland of sheep and oxen
with alcohol and alkaline substances.
'Adrenalin, when locally applied"
said DR.. Takamine, speaking of the re-
suits of his experiments and the ex-
perience of thousands of other doctors,
'is the most powerful astringent and
haemoStatic known, and also a very
strong stimulant of the heart. IT has
produced good results in circulatory
failure. and in the prevention of col
Ia pse in anaestkesia and allied condi-
lions. 1t is invaluable in carrying out
bloodless operations in nose, ear, eye
and throat work. "
DR.. Takamine has established a lab
oratory in New York city, where, with
some assistants, he is conducting fur
Their experiments along medical lines.
He married Miss Caroline Hitch. a
daughter of Col. E. V. Hitch, who was
a Confederate officer in the Civil War,
and became related by that marriage
to the late Henry George. the famous
eXpounder of the single tax theory.
a characterization Trait.
The Japanese have the American
knack of turning from one line of
work to another, and making a success
III all of them. In this respect they
differ markedly from most Orientals,
throughout their lives-once n priest
always a priest, once potter always
a potter, once a merchant always Il
merchant. 1t is not so with the
Japanese.
For example, one of the most prom
inent Japanese business men in Amer
lea, the head of a great house which
handles japanese art objects in Boston
and New York, started his career as a
worst training for business life that
could be imagined.
When he was fourteen years old and
was living in the province of Shinao,
in Japan, he was attracted by the
piety and ascetism of the famous Bud
dhist priest Hi, who was at the head
of the Nichiren sect. In his fifteenth
year he became the priests attendant,
and wandered with him on foot all
over Japan, living on the charity of
the pious who wished to acquire merit,
much after the fashion of kim and
the old lama whom Rudyard Kipling
has drawn so faithfully. Two years
later the boy became full-fiedged
disciple, and might have gone on with
his studies in Buddhist philosophy and
become a priest himself.
Travelled as "A Buddhist Pilgrim.
But, like many other Japanese, he
had desire to see the outside world.
He went to China and Travelled through
that country as Buddhist pilgrim
for year and a half. At the age of
! 81 he landed in San Francisco with $61
in his pocket and the world before him,
Buddhist mysticism had been cast be-
hind and the young man was intent
on getting an American education and
making a fortune in business.
He went to Boston-a journey which
swallowed up all his resources-became