Just before the end of the Russo-Japanese War, Masatake TERAUCHI, the Minister of the Army, became impatient and decided to ignore the attendant Ogai and supply barley rice, making Ogai lose face (During the Sino-Japanese War Terauchi also demanded barley rice as a supplement for beriberi, but was turned down by Ogai).
日露戦争終戦直前、業を煮やした陸軍大臣寺内正毅が鴎外の頭越しに麦飯の支給を決定、鴎外の面目は失われることとなった（寺内は日清戦争当時、具申した脚気対策に麦を送れと言う要望を鴎外により握り潰された経緯がある）。