Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-09-29

on the skin. and the tattooer proceeds to
pick in the pigment following the design
The coloring of the filing in is done
after the design has been gone over. In
London, Paris, Lyons, in the large cities
of America and China, there are profess
sonal tattooers who make their entire
livelihood by following the art
They have little studies of their own,
in which clients may choose from nun
dreds of designs and of which the price
runs from 30 cents to $50 which, OF course
is plenty, when one CONSIDERS the possible
consequences of the operation, erysipe-
las. gangrene, blood poisoning amputa-
ton and sometimes death itself.
In regard to colors. there are SIN USED
by the modern tattooer. namely: Black,
blue red, ;sreens 30 brpEns yellow. seoi
course. all. the shades OF these colors can
be obtained by proper niSing and blend
ing. AS to the most dangerous color to
use it is hard to decide as there are pos
sible dangers connected with the intro
duction of any and every foreign sub
stance beneath the skin
The natives of New Zealand have al
ways attached great Importance to the
art of the tattooer which they call moko'
Instead of needles the New Zeaiander
uses the bones of fish and birds ana the
hard thorns of plants We have it on the
authority of travellers that the Polynesian
tattooers, who employ the inclslon MODE
had often to hold their patients down py
force until the cruel operation was nm
ished.
In some tribes the women are as cha
orately tattooed as the men; in others
they are not allowed to be tattooed at all,
and in still others they alone are the
ones that undergo the torture. Savage
tribes. however, are far from negleetlns
the hygiene of the matter.
Complete repose is enjoined. certain
diet and deprivation of every physical
indulgence. Among the emolhehts pre-
scribed as protection against infamma-
ton are various healing leaves
From observations of the Polynesons
the process of tattooing takes years to
accomplish while here in America per-
son may be covered in from eight to Il
months, according to the vitality of the
subject.
The natives along the Amazon are dis
tinguished as being a people that tattoo
their lips in preference to any other part
of the body. The tattooing of the SKIN
by Japanese, generally those of the lower
classes, has attracted much observation
from Europeans and Americans, due
partly to the extraordinary elaboration
and artistic skill displayed, partly to the
fact that the occupations and customs of
the class in which tattoong is most prac-
tieed are such as to render it necessary
frequently to wear none but the most in
dispensable garments.
The Japanese are probably the only
race which have retained generally the
practice of tattong and have brought it
to state of highly artistic development
Up to a few years ago the practice was
so widespread that in Tokyo alone there
are estimated to have been, possibly still
are, $1,000 tattooed men. However, lately
there has been ban put on tattooing
in Japan. in this way. that a Japanese is
not eligible to either their army or navy
who has the mark of d tattooer, and as
they are all anxious to serve their eoun-
try in this capacity. they refrain from
marking the body. but an American or
European who. happens into a japanese
port has no trouble in locating the local
tattooer nor haying him demonstrate his
art
Being tattooed does not hoticeably i'm
pair ones health. / lost So pounds in
weight while undergoing it.
Japanese tattooing is so superior to
that of all other nations that European
and American sailors are said to look for
ward to it as the principal advantage in
a visit to the land of the rising sum-