THE STATURE OF THE JAPANESE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 179, 24 April 1908, Page 9

THE STATURE OF THE JAPANESE.

• « — 1 —■ STRIVING FOR HEIGHT. A NATIONAL MOVEMENT. The remarkable degreo of thoroughness that Japan has determined to achieve in all things that pertain to her own efficiency and advantago as a nation is nowhoro more conspicuously illustrated than in her unique efforts toward increasing tho stature of tho people. Compared with Europeans, or even Chinese (writes a Tokio correspondeiit : of tho "Standard"), tho Japanoso as a race aro short and under weight. ,To account for this physical peculiarity various reasons havo boon advanced, and as mauy corresponding antidotes, suggested or prescribed to remedy the defect, until tho movement has attracted the attention of the loading physiologists of tho morld. . - Somo of the best authorities among tho Japaneso themselves havo ascribed tho slight physical staturo of their race to tho sedentary habits that for agos have prevailed among thorn. Apart from, those engaged in the more muscular forms of industrial activity, the average Japaneso performs his daily task in a sitting: attitude, and, this obtains even in the: hours, of rest; for in a Japaneso,-house there aro no chairs; the mtimbors of the family squat on their heols on the . floor after the fashion of their ancestors from time immemorial. Tho Japaneso' professional mail and tho man of business maintain this posture day after day, and month after month, through tho. years; many a merchant spends tlio groater portion of his'lifo in this position,; not ,rising even to wait on a custoinor, as ho keops a boy to hand him the goods in demand. And what is 'tirue of the commercial classes is equally So of the artisans and craftsmen that mako up so large a proportion of tho native population. Though the agricultural classes' naturally show; a, greater degreo of muscular, development, tho nature of their labour,' is too much on a .lino with'that of beasts ; of burden to allow of a properly-developed stature. In the estimation of. other physiologists, howevor, tho dcficienoy'...in Japanese staturo is to bo attributed tor some inherent characteristic of tho race .rather'than to any effect,of habit or environment, much as theso may : modify tlio original, tendency. It is argued that though'tho Italians, for example, aro'shorter, than'; other Europoans, no, ono would think of attempting t6'account for it by -'-'instancing . the domestic habits of the nation.. Moreover, it requires no :grpat familiarity with .ethnological history jto seo, that some races are evidently built upon a smaller model than others. J •But it js' quite 1 consistently Japaneso to discredit, any theory!-that 'would.'ascribo' raco defect! to otlier than'renicdial causcs. Pessi.miotic , as, tlio, Japane.se' are., in mitters of : philosophy . andreligion, .when it,': comes to things material they always present a most optimistic attitude. The Japaneso avowedly holds that, his slight stature ,is due to ..some' cause over which he has control, and that, therefore, by thought, ho can reverse the decree of scripture, aiul add the longed-for cubit to his. stature. .' Accordingly, the native physiologists -who liavb given most .attention to . this/ subject ', acquiesce in ;.-.tho' prevailing opinion that the national,' shortness of stature is the, result of doing without, chairs in tho homes', and without counters and desks illshops and couiitinghpuscs,' probably assisted by. want] of/a'propof attention to diet.' To substantiate the rosult's of-this diagnosis, attention. is called to !tho, fact that'it requires only'a superficial examination of the avorago Japanese physique: to see that the main deficiency is in the length of the legs; the trunk! always comparing .favourably ' with' that of tho average native of -Europe br .America. Hence it is concluded that, if the lack -is only in the logs,, the cause must .be attri-. buted '.to : , a wrong use;.of. ; these; that: they hfiVe.' become, , mero appelit[ages only. because ;they. ha,v'e . been' regarded as such for genera!tioiis. by a/large part', of, the nation;; apd that. if Japanese legs are .but given the same degree, -of ' ,'exertionV as. indulged, in Jby foreigners,' they will attain an equal elongation, m time. , -. ' ■ , SHORTNESS, OF LEG. Those most familiar with - the physical characterißtics_ of both ; races - will- readily admit that it is only wlien standing that tho Japanese appears shorter; than tho average Anglo-Saxon; seated; at„a/table. ;or 'in an audience, /there sjoems to bo : . no marked diversity jn height., N6r is -it contrary to the experience ,01 men of scionco that unduo expansion or! human staturo should be usually , duo to .porno abnorinal condition ,of the- lower ".lilnbs. Among tho giants of all. races it is generally found that the extraordinary': development is; in the logs and feet. :While a dwarfed condition; or. bodj' is not- ahvays - duo to lack of leg develop-:' lhent among 'foreigners', it frequently'is; aiid this is especially; so among- the/Japanese. This 'question: of size' was- first ; taken up by the Japanese army surgeons,: who were inter- ' ested'in scouring recruits or suitable stature and . development for the ranks.; After a long experienco' in examining , men; for. military" 'sorviee,-and a careful-comparison of. results',jfi'ith similar experiences • abroad, the Japanese medical men became convinced of tlio necessity. of' : making tlio matter'a/subject of'national importance, until now there is a well-marked-'deto'rminatioif to leavo no'means untried,to 'make the Japonese soldier, physically equal ,to' the European regular. , .Consequently,, the . metrical' staff of tho japaneso army lias for some years been .putting the nativo soldier through a strict courso of gym-' nastie "and "dietary-/discipline, - insisting that tho movement bo. carried into the homes of, the people,' until all should be obsessed with the desire,to grow tall, or pi-oduco a progeny, witk this qualification for citizenship. /Mothers and'nurses are boing advised not' t'o carry their babies oil their backs,; as the custom is deemed sufficient to account , for the prevalence of . bandy legs among: the Japanese. 'Tho ,iiatio'n is besought, and the soldiers- are required,, to' sit on something higher than tho floor. .The kind and quality of tlio' exorcise and . diet .for tho army and navy are carefully regulated to comply with foreign customs, in-addition to the speciai expedients for increasing'stature. . It is interesting to uoto that theso experiments arp regarded as oil tho whole satisfactory. The army surgeons aver that in tho few yoars'that they havo been able to givo 'any' proper attention to the subject, tho physical condition of the Japanese soldier has shown • marked improvement, and that even an. appreciable incroaso of stature can bo noticed. This frank endeavour after so extraordinary an achievement, as an increase of stature does much to dispel the impression that the. Japanese aro for tho. most part a nation of mere imitators, with a conspicuous lack of inventive power. If wo except Dr. Shimose, who invented tho famous explosive, to the destructive effect of which Japan owed so much of her success, in tho late war, and the ; university professor who invented, her secret system of wireless telegraphy, the nation: has/ not shown any great talent in this direction. Yot' ! all its uses of western iiivontious aro never exactly tlio Same as in tlio Occident; in tho process of adoption there is always a conspicuous: tendency to adaptation, which, in some cases/ amounts to marked improvement on the original device, if not a real invention. ..