REPORT 



uton 



THE MEDICAL TOPOGRAPHY OF JAPAN 



BY DANIEL S. GREEN, SURGEON U. S. N. 



U. S. Steamer Mississippi, 

 Simoda, June 10, 1854. 



Sir: In obedience to your order of the 1st inst., I respectfully submit the following report. 

 It is prepared from observations limited to tbe months of February, March, and April, and 

 parts of May and June, in the bay of Yedo, and at this place ; in parts of May and June at 

 Hakodadi; and also during a short stay in the bay of Yedo last July; likewise, from what I 

 consider may be the probable character of the climate at other seasons. 



The port of Simoda is situated near the S.E. angle of the island of Niphon, on a Ion" - penin- 

 sula consisting of mountain ranges, and is itself surrounded by very high lands. These have 

 numerous vales between, but there are no low, flat lands, except where the town is built, and in 

 one small valley, through which flows a rapid stream of clear water. At this place it is never 

 very cold near the level of the sea, there being seldom any ice or snow ; but the elevated ridges are, 

 doubtless, often covered with the latter, as are the mountains extending hence towards Fusi. 

 Eains have neither been infrequent nor in excess, and fogs sometimes occur. Under these con- 

 ditions, the climate is very variable in winter and spring, being, at times, clear and cold, or 

 clear, warm, and pleasant, with changes to cold, raw, and disagreeable weather. The alterna- 

 tions of southerly winds from the ocean, with those from the snow-clad mountains, cause 

 sudden contrasts, both in the temperature and humidity of the air ; and these are calculated to 

 produce acute inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatism, pneumonia, &c, unless prevented 

 by proper precautions. 



In the summer and autumn it is, doubtless, very hot in the day, when calm ; but, from the 

 features of the adjacent country, land and sea breezes are surely to be expected. The nights 

 in Yedo bay last July were cool, or cold, accompanied by heavy dews ; and the same may rea- 

 sonably be anticipated at this place. Such nights with hot days may occasion sporadic cases 

 of cholera morbus, diarrhoea, &c. ; but there are no causes (apparently) existing to produce 

 severe epidemic diseases, such as fevers and dysentery ; the only places likely to generate mias- 

 mata being the low level town and valley before mentioned. But the former seems to be 

 cleanly, and the latter is wholly occupied by cultivated plants, both in winter and summer, 

 except during the brief intervals between one crop and another, when the land is undergoing 

 preparation afresh. 



