250 Ayao Kuwaki 



was much behind the Euvopean in anatomy and physiology, it had 

 much to pride itself on in the matter of medicaments and therapeutic 

 experience. 



On the contrary, in the theories of astronomy and the practice 

 of electricity, even the most jingoistic and stiff-necked acknowledged 

 that the country was behind Europe. Thus the fact that the scholars 

 professing Chinese science realized that they were inferior in their views 

 of nature on the theoretical rather than on the practical side, is considered 

 to have had an influence in changing the tide of advance of public 

 thought in general. Consequently, it was easy at the time of the Meiji 

 Restoration of 1868 to entirely remodel the system, without any 

 hesitation and without any respect to tradition, not only in matters 

 of government and diplomacy but also in education and in science. 



The seemingly radical changes achieved at the Meiji Kestoration 

 are thus found to have been the result of a long series of historical 

 vicissitudes which were overcome and turned into foundation stones for 

 the solid scientific structure of modern Japan lain by the infinite 

 perseverance and brave and untiring labors of the pioneer scholars. 

 Unfalteringly, in spite of overwhelming odds they held up high the 

 flaming torch of scientific research, passing it on till our better trained 

 modern hands could carry it to the heights of its modern triumph. 



