About the Diseases and Medical Treatments of King Hyeonjong, Sukjong, Gyeongjong, Yeongjo in the Joseon Dynasty

조선시대(朝鮮時代) 현종(顯宗), 숙종(肅宗), 경종(景宗), 영조(英祖)의 질병(疾病)과 치료(治療)

1. King Hyeonjong(1641-1674) mainly suffered from eye disease and abscess. He specially took a hot spring bath for cure of eye and skin problems. He probably died of septicemia and the following gastro-intestinal infection at the age of 34, quite early for his age. 2. King Sukjong(1661-1720) was not very well all through his life, but lived quite longer than other Kings in the Joseon Dynasty. He suffered from various diseases like heart-based heat, abscess, edema, upper respiratory infections, etc. He frequently took the treatments of acupuncture and moxibustion. He presumably died of dysfunction of liver and kidney at the age of 60. 3. King Gyeongjong(1688-1724) suffered from political problems from birth to death, so he may have had excessive mental stress for his poor health. He mainly suffered from heart-based heat and abscess. It is quite not sure why he died in only one month from the onset of his symptoms, so many people thought that he was poisoned to death. He probably died of septicemia and the following gastro-intestinal infection at the age of 37. 4. King Yeongjo(1694-1776) lived for 83 years, which is the longest of all the Kings in the Joseon Dynasty. He mainly suffered from hypofunction of gastro-intestinal system with cold symptoms, coughs, uneasiness. He took various kinds of herbal medicine, of which he took ginseng the most. He is supposed to be dead due to his old age at 83.