People's way to fight the epidemic diseases in the early Choson period.
- Author:
Bok Kyu KWON
1
;
Sang Ik HWANG
Author Information
1. Department of the History of Medicine and Medical Humanities, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; English Abstract ; Historical Article
- Keywords:
early Choson period;
epidemic diseases;
history of medicine;
history of diseases
- MeSH:
Communicable Disease Control/*history;
Disease Outbreaks/*history;
English Abstract;
History of Medicine, Medieval;
Human;
Korea
- From:Korean Journal of Medical History
1999;8(1):15-24
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Epidemic diseases in the early Choson period were big problems to the people and society. However, the weapons to the epidemic diseases were very limited at that time. There were few drugs and well-trained practitioners for people. Most people could only depend on religious means and simple folklore medicine including inhalation of specific flavor. People tried to overcome or prevent the epidemics by praying, sorcery, ornaments, runaway and isolation. In most cases, the epidemic diseases came with or broke out from the famine, severe labour (especially in civil engineering) imposed by the ruling class. The epidemics of that time are thought to be typhoid fever, epidemic typhus, or similar febrile diseases.
