The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-10-01
OBJECT TO QUA PERFUMES.
Japanese and Other AslstIos Dislike
Our Odors.

our doors.
IT seems that we give forth an ex-
tremely disagreeable odor. BY I'VE"
] mean the white races OF America
and~of Europe. According TO the
japanese, this odor is not only
''piquant' but also rancid"
The Japanese, like all other Orien-
tai and like our Red Indians find our
perfume very offensive, so much SO,
that when one of the lieges of the
Mikado resides sufficiently long in
| America or Europe TO become i'm
pregnated herewith Il is considered
sufficient TO exempt him from that
military service which is obligatory
upon every Japanese citizen. in fact,
a Jap contaminated by our--well, let
us call IL perfume--is regarded as un'
! At for association with his fellow
countrymen, precisely as II II were
afflicted with leprosy.
! 1t is considered unfair that they
should be compelled to exist in the
same atmosphere as one so disagree
ably odoriferous. and not only does
the European perfume constitute a
disqualification for service IN the
army and in the navy of Japan, but
! IL actually, according TO Japanese
law, constitutes a valid reason for
divorce
Until now the white races have al
ways fondly imagined that they were
regarded by the yellow people OF Asia,
by the black Of Africa, by the Esqul-
maux by the Redskins, and by the
indians Of South America, In the
| light of superior beings, almost as
demigods, and we have prated 10 our
hearts content about our prestige"
il IL rather disconoerting, not TO
say humiliating, 10 discover that in
instead Of exciting respect and even
reverence, we create disgust, and that
we are tolerated with dificulty by
our dusky brethren owing 10 our Of
fensiye perfume.
OF course we are equally sensitive
TO the perfume OF the dushy races.
The Chinese In particular have a por.
fume sui generls. II is a smell TO
which defy any European or Amer
ioaD ever 20 become accustomed
During my frequent stays In China
have sometimes endeavored to ana.
lyze this smell, with which the ma.
tives are saturated and which seems
TO contaminate and 10 give taste
and peculiar odor 10 everything they
touch. For a long time ] was at
loss 10 account for the reason of this
perfume, which, though neither very
strong nor pungent is nevertheless
70 the noses of white people OF an
exceedingly sickening nature. II could
not be due TO any lack Of soap and
water for the Chinese bathe FIRE.
quently and are, moreover, extTaordi
nRrily particular on the subject Of
the immaculate cleanliness Of their
garments, differing in this respect
from the Japanese.
My doubts, however, came TO an end
when J recalled TO mind that the Chi. |
nese consider extremely stale eggs |
are infinitely greater delicacy than |
fresh ones, that aged and spCyled |
oysters and other shell food causes
them 20 smack their lips with salts. |
faction, and that they prefer their fish |
very gamey and high.
Under the circumstances II Ia |
hardly surprising that the perfume OF |
their faVorite food should cling 10 |
them much in the same manner that |
the smell Of garlic fingers about the
pesron OF laboring man from the
South Of France, or from sunny Italy
Much the same reasoning applies
20 the japanese. In fact, their per.
fume il even more pungent than that
Of the Chinese. This is due 10 the
fact TINT their tastes run in the di.
rection Of the same kind OF food and
TO the lack Of cleanliness OF their
garments, The latter are rarely
changed, and never wnshed. The
people, II Is true, bath every day,
mostly In water heated 10 a temper.
ature that would parboil any ordi.
nary civilized human being. But on
emerging from the bath they resume
the same old silk wooden aud cotton
garments, which not only they them.
selves, but also their ancestors, even
TO the third and fourth generation,
have worn without interruption.
Heavy silks and wooden clothes,
.hough durable, are apt 10 require
cleansing after some 20 or 80 years
of constant use, especially In tropi-
,al climate Hence II IL not alto
yether surprising that the people Of
Japan should present a powerful con
.rast 70 their flowers, which latter,
~ reason of some popularity Of the
'oil are absolutely without any trace
81 perfume.
So searching Is this "peTfum du
Iapon' thai white people who have
ncasion 70 spend any time in the do
ninions OF the Mikado become i'm
thereby 10 such an extent
hat il is not until years after their
'eturn home in Amerioasor in Europe
hat they are able TO rid themselves
md their effects Of the odor.