This paper aimed to introduce and examine the biography of Sun Xi-miao (581-682) which I found in The Biography of The Avatamsaka-Sutra, that Fazang (643-712) wrote in 692 A.D. This document was neglected to understand Sun who was the famous medical writer of the collection of prescriptions, the Bei ji qian jin yao fang. His life is rather well documented, because he has his own biographies in Jiu Tang shu and Xin Tang shu which cited from Da Tang sin yu, published in 807. But I found several new informations about Sun in The Biography of The Avatamsaka-Sutra, such as he use to be a military medicine in the troops of Li Yuan who became the first emperor Kao Tsu of Tang dynasty and treat Sun with great favour. This document let us know that the Bei ji qian jin yao fang was dedicated to Kao Tsu, known as published in 652 A.D. MY CONCLUSIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: First, it was written by Fazang in 692 A.D, who was the real establisher of the fraternity of the Avatamsaka in China, for the purpose of encouraging to copy the Avatamsaka-Sutra. According to this biography, Sun made 750 copies to persuade the monks and the peoples, and that's the reason Fazang wrote his biography. Secondly, it was not conveyed to posterity, such as Sun was good looking, tall and use to be the medicine of Kao Tsu and dedicated his medical book to the first emperor. It might be left out for Tai Tsung's sake in the official records, who murdered his brother, the heir apparent to the throne and became the second emperor by himself. On the contrary, it was written in Da Tang sin yu, Jiu and Xin Tang shu that Sun made a prediction that his collection of prescriptions would help the holyman after 50 years from Xuan Di (578-579) of Northern Chou Dynasty. Holyman meant Tai Tsung. It shows that Sun's biographies in the Da Tang sin yu, Jiu and Xin Tang Shu were based on the documents that might be fabricated and embellished for Tai Tsung. Thirdly, this biography let us know that Sun wote the Bei ji qian jin yao fang under the circumstances that the epidemic disease was spreaded in Changan at 618 A.D. and the population of Kao Tsu era (618-626) was decreased rapidly. I think that's why he wrote down the medical morals as the first chapter, and the prescriptions about the gynecology and pediatrics as the second chapter.
Military Medicine/history ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/*history ; Humans ; History, Medieval ; Disease Outbreaks/history ; China

Yun Ti Wang studied medicine in England, different from other Korean medical doctors in early days. Yun, who entered medical school at Glasgow University in England in March 1919, graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine in October 1925, along with an England medical license. Yun began working as an instructor at Severance Medical College from November 1927, and received Doctor of Medicine from the College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists at Kyoto Imperial University in August 1936. After the Liberation, Yun began working as a faculty member at the medical school at Seoul University, and he also worked as a Chief of the Second Medical Clinic of the school from 1946. Yun made a great effort in order to build an integrated committee, eventually contributing to the launching of Joseon Medical Associates in 1947. He was also elected as a first president at Joseon Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates, which was organized at the same year as the Joseon Medical Associates. Yun entered military as an army surgeon in April 1949 and has worked there until he was appointed as a principal at the Army Medical School in September 1953. His contributions to the development of military medical services include the following: expansion of medical facilities in army, stable system of workforce in military medical service, launching of Medical Aid and establishment of Department of Medical Care, and introduction of new medical technologies in anesthesiology and neurosurgery, etc. The career of Yun can be largely divided into the field of gynecology and military medical services. In the gynecological field, Yun contributed to the settlement of obstetrics in Korea, by taking in charge of the obstetrics class at Severance following medical missionaries. As for the military medical services, he has contributed to the establishment of military medical system as well as to the opening of new academic areas. The impact of his activities on the establishment of military medical services is especially significant, since it was a field that no Korean citizens had access to during the colonization era.
Education, Medical/history ; England ; Gynecology/history ; History, 20th Century ; Korea ; Military Medicine/*history ; Obstetrics/*history ; Societies, Medical/history

To prevent and control infectious diseases was one of the major concerns of U.S. military government when they stationed in Korea in 1945. It was because the spread of various infectious diseases can cause social unrest and they can also affect the U.S. military. Malaria was one of the most important infectious diseases to which the U.S. military had been paying special attention. The U.S. military received a severe damage during the Pacific war with Japan due to malaria. It was said that more soldiers were lost by malaria than by battle itself. The bitter experience they had during the war made them accumulate more systematic and practical knowledge against malaria. As a result, by the end of the war, the U.S. military could run more than hundreds of units specialized in controlling malaria. Thanks to such a preparation, they could immediately begin their anti-malaria activities in Korea soon after the World War II. Although the vivax malaria, which is the dominant type in Korea, is not as much a fatal type as that in the Pacific areas, it was damaging enough to the infected. The 207th Malaria Survey Detachment carried out collecting and identifying the kinds of mosquitos in Korea. In addition, they also surveyed the prevalence of malaria among school children in Seoul. In terms of controlling malaria, DDT played a decisive role. Vector control is the most effective and ideal measurements against malaria. Before the development of DDT, it was practically impossible to eradicate mosquitos which arise from extremely broad areas. However, DDT could not be used as it had been expected in the rural area, because spraying DDT in the rice paddies which is the breeding place of mosquitos kills rice. Despite such a limitation in anti-malaria activities of the US military government, it should be noted that a significant turn in controlling malaria was possible thanks to the development of DDT.
History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Malaria/epidemiology/*history/parasitology/prevention & control ; Military Medicine/*history ; Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; United States

Trauma and the need of medical care exist since the beginning of human history. This research is aimed to identify and analyze trauma in antiquity. After a review of bibliography, the first reports of trauma (in Europe) were found in the Greek Epics of Homer. The analysis of these texts showed that injury could be caused to any part of the human body. The main cause of trauma was primarily participation in wars (178 cases), and then participation in sports (6 cases) and other activities (6 cases). This study identified a total of 190 injuries in both Homer epics. The more serious injuries, many of which proved fatal, were observed from participation in military activities.
Athletic Injuries ; history ; Greece ; Greece, Ancient ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Military Medicine ; Warfare ; Wounds and Injuries ; history

After the liberation from Japanese colonial rule in August 1945, the United States of America established Military Government in Korea(USAMGIK) south the 38th parallel. The public health and medical policy of the USAMGIK was defined by the USA's general policy toward Korea, and followed national interests of USA after the end of the World War II. The basic objectives of the early occupational period were two; the protection of the occupation troops, the prevention of acute epidemic diseases and unrest in the populace. However, after the switch of occupation policy to the establishment of pro-American anti-Communist nation in Korea since June 1946, the basic objectives turned into 'the establishment of the influence of American medicine in Korean medical system.' During the occupation period, USAMGIK trained several pro-American right - wing doctors who formed the clique of policy makers in the independent government, and established many quasi - American public health and medical systems in Korea.
Colonialism/*history ; English Abstract ; *Government ; Health Policy/*history ; History of Medicine, 20th Cent. ; Korea ; *Medicine ; Military Medicine/*history ; *Politics ; Public Health/*history ; United States ; War/*history

A mysterious disease was first reported from Korea when it had been observed during late spring 1951 in UN Forces operating in the central area close to the 38th parallel. The disease showed distinctive features which included high fever, low blood pressure, hemorrhagic tendency and acute renal failure. Historically it was apparently a similar disease to a clinical entity designated as Epidemic hemorrhagic fever in Manchuria or Hemorrhagic nephrosonephritis in Far Eastern Russia. After Lee Ho-Wang succeeded in demonstrating Hantaan virus which caused hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), many studies has revealed various biological and epidemiological aspects of the disease. But the origin of the disease in Korea still remains unknown. This article tests some hypotheses which explain the origin of the disease and reviews the relation between the Korean War and HFRS. It is concluded that the emerging of HFRS would be closely related with the establishment of the munitions supply network in early 1951 in Chinese troop.
China ; English Abstract ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome/*history ; History of Medicine, 20th Cent. ; Korea ; Military Medicine/*history ; Siberia ; War

This paper purports to identify and analyze the medical information of the frontline soldiers in the Northwest borderland provinces of Han Dynasty, especially Juyan and Dunhuang region, through an heuristic reading of the Juyan Bamboo Slips and the Dunhuang Bamboo Slips of the Han Dynasty. My findings are as follows. The most frequent disease found in the bamboo slips was the external injury. The injury of the frontline soldiers mainly occurred from the quarrels among armed soldiers using weapons. The bamboo slips also demonstrate that the quarrels usually arose due to the fierce tension caused by the frontier line service such as heavy guard activity and labour duty. Undernourishment and chronic stress the soldiers suffered might be another reasons. The second most common disease harassing the soldiers was exogenous febrile disease. In most cases reviewed in this paper, the exogenous febrile disease was usually concurrent with complex symptoms such as chills, fever, headache, etc. The bamboo slips show that the exogenous febrile disease was related to the harsh climate of the Northwest provinces, featuring extremely dry weather and the large magnitude of diurnal temperature fluctuations. In addition, the annual temperature range in the Northwest province was huge, fluctuating between very cold and dry winter and very hot and dry summer. The third most common disease this study identified was the disorder of the digestive system and respiratory system. However, these two types of disease were virtually indistinguishable in the bamboo slips, because the ancient Chinese chroniclers did not distinguish them, usually dubbing both diseases simply 'abdominal pain.' It should be mentioned that a few slips mention contagious disease such as dysentery and dermatolosis, and sudden death, as well. Overall, the bamboo slips demonstrate extremely poor status of the soldiers' heath condition and poor medical environment surrounding the soldiers stationing in the Northwest borderland military camps. The records also show that acupuncture, applying a plaster, drugs were the most common medical treatment. Drugs among them was the most frequently used. Whereas Acupuncture, applying a plaster were very rarely used. Medication has been used in three ways: powdered medicine, medicinal decoction and pill. Medicinal decoction was the most commonly used way.
China/epidemiology ; Climate ; Communicable Disease Control/history ; Communicable Diseases/epidemiology/etiology/history ; Digestive System Diseases/epidemiology/etiology/history/prevention & control ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Military Medicine/*history/statistics & numerical data ; Military Personnel/*history ; Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology/etiology/history/prevention & control