• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.349-354
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• 1974

Survey results concerning the general information on health status of 7,050 inhabitants (1,141 households) which have been selected within Keumsan Gun, Chung Choung Nam Do area are as follws: 1. The average family size is $6.18{\pm}2.17$ persons per household. Tertiary sex ratio is 105.5 population composition of Kumsan Gun shown a pyramidal form consisting of 51.6% of the inhabitants under 20 years of age. 2. Rate of illiteracy amounts to 12.1% and only 4.1% of villagers were graduated from high schools, 80% of the inhabitants have some kind of jobs: 46.1% of them are engaged in agriculture, 95.2% of villagers have their own houses, and remaining 4.8% do not have their own. 3. 72% of households made use of health services provided provided by health centre or subcentres during a period of 1 year from April 1, 1973 to March 31, 1974. 26.8% of them visited health centre of sub-centres 2-4 times annually for the following purposes: 1) Vaccination: 35.7% 2) Diagnosis or treatment: 26.7% 3) Family planning: 24.1% 4) Maternal and child health: 10.5% 4. Utilization rate of health facilities is on an average 4.4 times per household and 0.75 times per capita. 5. Birth rate in the area is 1.91% and death rate is 0.75%, indicating the natural increase rate is only 1.16% that is lower than the nationwide rate of 1.8-2.2% in 1970 and 1.5-1.9% in 1973. 6. 37.7% of fertile women (20-40 years old) in the area are still unmarried, Fertility rate is the highest in the age group of 63-40 years old showing a value of 17.1%. 7. The unmarried population in this area amounts to 61.4% : 61.4% in male and 57.6% in female. 8. Number of inhaibtants who practice family planning is 612 persons(22.6%) among the married (2.771). This value consists of 8.3% of married males and 34.8% of married females. Only 16.0% of the people who put family planning in practice undergo permanent contraceptive methods and remaining 84.0% of them do temporary measures. 9. Only 57.7% of the subjects took vaccinations as follows: 1) B.C.G. vaccination: 82.7% 2) D.P.T. vaccination: 76.2% 3) Poliomyelitis vaccination: 67.9% 4) Smallpox vaccination: 62.6% 10. In the utilization of medical facilities in case of sickness drug stores (32.15%) comes first and hospitals or clinics (28.65%), health centre of health sub-centres (17.96%), herb drug stores (7.36%) and herb gerneral practioners (6.31%), etc., in decreasing order. Sickness that people living in this area suffer from are neuralgia, disease digestive troubles, respiratory diseases and skin lesions, etc.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.9
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• pp.555-652
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• 1996

Up to the present the scholastic achievements in the history of the medical system have been rather scare despite its importance in the Korean History. Hence, this dissertation attempts to examine the significance of the institute in the Korean History, covering the period from the ancient times through the early Chosun-Dynasty. In the ancient times, the medical practice relied primarily upon human instincts and experiences at the same time, shaman's incantations were widely believed to cure diseases, the workings of evil spirits supposedly. For the period from the Old Chosun through Samhan(巫堂), Chinese refugees brought a long medical knowledge and skills of the continent. New Chinese medicine, traditional practices and incantations were generally used at this time. Medicine and the medical system were arranged by the period of the Three Countries(三國時代). No definite record concerning Koguryo remains now. As for Paekje, however, history shows that they set up the system under the Chinese influence, assigning medical posts such as Euibaksa(medical doctor), Chaeyaksa(pharmacist), and Jukeumsa(medicine man) within Yakbu(department of medicine). Scientifically advanced, they sent experts to Japan, giving a tremendous influence on the development of the science on ancient Japan. After the unification of the three countries, Shilla had their own system after the model of Dang(唐). This system of the Unified Shilla was continued down to Koryo and became the backbone of the future ones. In the ancient time religion and medicine were closely related. The curative function of the shaman was absolute. Buddhism played a notable part in medical practice, too, producing numerous medical monks. The medical system of Koryo followed the model of Dang with some borrowings from Song(宋). Sangyakkuk(尙藥局) was to deal exclusively with the diseases of the monarch whereas Taeeuigam(太醫監) was the central office to handle the national medical administration and the qualification test and education for doctors. In addition, Dongsodaebiwon(東西大悲院), Jewibo(濟危寶), and Hyeminkuk(惠民局) were public hospitals for the people, and a few aristocrats practiced medicine privately. In 987, the 6th year of Songjong(成宗), local medical operations were installed for curing the sick and educating medical students. Later Hyonjong(顯宗), established Yakjom(clinics, 藥店) throughout the country and officials were sent there to see patients. Foreign experts, mainly from Song, were invited frequently to deliver their advanced technology, and contributed to the great progress of the science in Korea. Medical officials were equipped with better land and salary than others, enjoying appropriate social respect. Koryo exchanged doctors, medicine and books mainly with Song, but also had substantial interrelations with Yuan(元), Ming(明), Kitan(契丹), Yojin(女眞), and Japan. Among them, however, Song was most influential to the development of medicine in Koryo. During Koryo Dynasty Buddhism, the national religion at the time, exercised bigger effect on medicine than in any other period. By conducting national ceremonies and public rituals to cure diseases, Taoism also affected the way people regarded illness. Curative shamanism was still in practice as well. These religious practices, however, were now engaged only when medication was already in use or when medicine could not held not help any more. The advanced medical system of Koryo were handed down to Chosun and served the basis for further progress. Hence, then played well the role to connect the ancient medicine and the modern one. The early Chosun followed and systemized the scientific and technical achievement in medicine during the Koryo Dynasty, and furthermore, founded the basis of the future developments. Especially the 70 years approximately from the reign of Sejong(世宗) to that of Songjong(成宗) withnessed a termendous progress in the field with the reestablishment of the medical system. The functions of the three medical institute Naeeuiwon(內醫院), Joneuigam(典醫監), Hyeminkuk(惠民局) were expanded. The second, particualy, not only systemized all the medical practices of the whole nation, but also grew and distributed domestic medicaments which had been continually developed since the late Koryo period. In addition, Hyeminso(惠民局, Hwarinwon(活人院)) and Jesaenwon(濟生院)(later merged to the first) played certain parts in the curing illness. Despite the active medical education in the capital and the country, the results were not substantial, for the aristocracy avoided the profession due to the social prejudice against technicians including medical docotors. During the early Chosun-Dynasty, the science was divided into Chimgueui (acupuncturist), Naryogeui(specialist in scrofula) and Chijongeui (specialist in boil). For the textbooks, those for the qualification exam were used, including several written by the natives. With the introduction on Neoconfucianism(性理學) which reinforced sexual segregation, female doctors appeared for the female patients who refused to be seen by male doctors. This system first appeared in 1406, the sixth year of Taejong(太宗), but finally set up during the reign of Sejong. As slaves to the offices, the lowest class, female doctors drew no respect. However, this is still significant in the aspect of women's participation in society. They were precedents of midwives. Medical officials were selected through the civil exam and a special test. Those who passed exams were given temporary jobs and took permanent posts later. At that time the test score, the work experience and the performance record of the prospective doctor were all taken into consideration, for it was a specialized office. Most doctors were given posts that changed every six months, and therefore had fewer chances for a goverment office than the aristocracy. At the beginning the social status of those in medicine was not that low, but with the prejudice gradully rising among the aristocracy, it became generally agreed to belong to the upper-middle technician class. Dealing with life, however, they received social respect and courtesy from the public. Sometimes they collected wealth with their skills. They kept improving techniques and finally came to take an important share in modernization process during the late Chosun-Dynasty.