Manuscript on paper, entitled on upper cover in a neat hand "Nakagami ryu mugon fukushin den" ("Nakagami School of Non-Verbal Abdominal Diagnosis, Passed On") by NAKAGAMI, Kinkei

Four full-page brush & ink illus. 14 folding leaves. 8vo (244 x 165 mm.), orig. wrappers (wrappers somewhat soiled), stitched as issued. [Japan: ca. 1820]. Nakagami (1743-1833), a member of the great Koiho (Traditional Medicine) School, was one of the leading practitioners of his day. He was trained in the method of Kan, To, and Ge (perspiration, emesis, and purgation). He started his practice in Kyoto in 1791 and wrote on pathology, leprosy, psychiatric diseases, water cures, and diagnosis of diseases. Most of his texts remained in manuscript. Our manuscript, based on the secret teachings of Nakagami, is concerned with methods of diagnosis. It was prepared for students of Nakagami's school and kept in manuscript to limit its circulation. The manuscript contains four full-page illustrations - two of the abdomen, a front view of the head, and a view of the back of the neck. These are all labelled with references in the text to many symptoms and their diagnoses. There is a great emphasis on diagnosis through touching the areas of the abdomen and observation of all aspects of the body. Many references to medicines are provided. In fine condition.