In 1884, Takaki Kanehiro, a British-trained medical doctor of the Imperial Japanese Navy, observed that beriberi was endemic among low-ranking crew who often ate nothing but rice, but not among officers who consumed a Western-style diet.
I 1884 observerede Takaki Kanehiro, en britisk-trænet læge fra den kejserlige japanske flåde, at beriberi var endemisk blandt lavtrangerende mandskab, som ofte ikke spiste andet end ris, men ikke blandt officerer som indtog en vestligt-inspireret kost.