WOMAN'S TRESSES AS A SACRIFICE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVIII, Issue 12121, 24 December 1913, Page 2

WOMAN'S TRESSES AS A SACRIFICE.

Tokio, October 18. The vernacular papers publish photographs of Miss Okoi, described as the "pet" of the late Prince Katsura, who, as soon as she heard of the Prince's death, ordered her maids to cut off her black hair, ancT, having set up a photograph of. the Prince on an altar, offered her treasured tresses in sacrifice. _ , The practice of cutting: off the hair by faithful wives is not uncommon in Japan and is synonymous with declaring that they will not again seek husband or lover. Prince Ivatsura- was an ardent patron of medical science, and some l time before his death expressed the wish that when ho died his body should l be. dissected and liis brain removed, as-he was of opinion that the brain of a man who worked as hard as_ li© did would Ix l an interesting acquisition for the Imperial University. After his death the Princess instructed the University authorities to perform the post mortem examination and to remove the brain. The post mortem examination revealed the fact that the Prince died of cancer of the liver, the cancerous growth having spread all over the body. The brain was carefully removed, and found to weigh 1600 grammes, comparing favorably with .the weight of the brain of the greatest thinkers of the world. The Prince's brain was of exact! v the same weight a.s that of Kant. It is now preserved in the Imperial University Museum. In connection with the posthumous rites of famous deceased persons, it is interesting to note that a few days ago a tooth and 1 i lock of hair of the late. General Nogi and lus wife were sent to Formosa to be placed in a shrine in tliat island. f