『承政院日記』의 臨床醫學 記錄 硏究

Abstract

Seungjeongwon Ilgi[『承政院日記』], the Diaries of Royal Secretariat of the Joeson Dynasty is the most massive compilation of records in Korean history. The remaining records which survived several fires range from the year 1623 to 1910. This study deals with the computerized parts of the records. As the secretaries of Seungjeongwon attended and observed the kings closely, court affairs were recorded in great detail including physical condition of king himself and various kinds of medical records. This study is the beginning of the research on abundant medical records of Seungjeongwon Ilgi. Medical records in Seungjeongwon Ilgi can be gathered under several subjects, such as ① diagnosis and treatments, ② concepts of disease or body, ③ medical texts, ④ men and women doctors, and kings who had sophisticated medical opinions, and ⑤ the service carried out by Naeuiwon[內醫院]. As a start, the methods of diagnosis and the contents of treatments are dealt with in this study. The criteria of diagnosis is the same as traditional four diagnostic system. The treatments consist of various kinds of oral takings, external applications and acumoxa treatments. The results of this research are as follows. 1. Pulse diagnosis and questioning were the most important and basic methods used by the doctors who served in royal court. According to Seungjeongwon Ilgi, pulse diagnosis were utilized practically, independent from Chinese texts. It is evident that the Naiching[『內經』] has been the main source of Korean traditional medicine in diagnosis. Accumulated knowledge of questioning in Ming dynasty had also helped systematizing the skills of questioning. 2. Medications for internal use and external applications had been widely employed to control plural diseases. First, herbal prescription was mainly in the form or fluid and tablet. Herbal tea was also used for various symptoms. Single-medicine prescription and dietary treatments were also regarded as major part of healing. Medications for external application varied from ointments, single-medicine prescriptions, cleansing mixtures. Herbal prescriptions for eyewash were also in common use. Hot spring was one of the options in dermatosis. 3. Various skills of acumoxa treatments are found in Seungjeongwon Ilgi. They are more specific than those recorded in Naiching[『內經』] or Chimgu Gyung Heom Bang[『鍼灸經驗方』]. Certain kinds of moxa treatments manifest conjugation of empirical usage. Cupping was classified as a kind of moxibustion and was popular among the people. It was adopted for royal treatment out of positivism. Various medical cases written in Seungjeongwon Ilgi provides us with specific view of the medicine during that time. Further research is required to evaluate the clinical accumulations and to compare with the features of present Korean Medicine. Other categories mentioned above should be noted in following studies.