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

Adult male circumcision (MC) has been shown to reduce the transmission of HPV, HSV, and HIV significantly during vaginal intercourse. However, the benefits of adult MC for men in military service have been poorly documented. Soldiers in war time have additional challenges in maintaining good penile hygiene, rendering uncircumcised men vulnerable to inflammation and infection; these maladies not only negatively impact these individuals, but also undermine the overall military strength. Adult MC can provide some long-term benefits for these military service men. Many African countries have already taken a special interest in adult MC for their military forces, resulting in increased numbers of these surgeries among this special population of men. In this review, we discuss the history of adult MC in the military along with the current trends and economic significance.
Adult ; Circumcision, Male ; history ; trends ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Male ; Military Personnel

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

This research mainly dealt with sanitation and hygiene related editorials quoted from educational magazines published in Chosun until the Manchurian Incident during the Japanese colonial period. The study revealed that modern Japan became aware of the importance of public sanitation from the late nineteenth century and established modern programs so that schools can comprehensively teach students about sanitation and hygiene so as to enter modern imperial society. Japan particularly introduced and carried out modern physical(gymnastics) education as a means of "complete sanitation and hygiene" to improve students' health. As a result of having two times of war, the Japanese Empire reaffirmed the significance of modern sanitation and hygiene. After colonization of Chosun, Japan organized official educational groups and enlightened the public about sanitation and hygiene through editorials on the educational magazines which the groups had published. In order for schools to promote complete sanitation and hygiene based on modern medicine, Japan actively engaged in suggesting the necessity of physical(gymnastics) education which was critical to human's growth and development. After Japanese Government-General of Korea legislated on school hygiene in 1913, Japanese governments school started hiring school doctors and nurses. They stressed the need of providing sanitation and hygiene education in school to prepare for war in 1910's in advance; highlighted that physical (gymnastics) education should be enforced to help students grow and improve their physical strength from a modern medical point of view. In April, 1919, the Japanese Empire implemented the same instruction to the schools where Chosun people attended. But it was found that the law was not applied well to those schools in effect. The Japanese Empire was seen to proclaim the second educational decree in 1922; proposed international hygienic achievement of the time and comments; enlightened the public by connecting "Fletcherism" of the USA with rice crisis, which was a big social issue back then. In an attempt to complement modern sanitation and hygiene, Japan strongly recommended students appropriate physical gymnastics as the most desirable and complete sanitation method, saying it would help them correct their imbalanced condition-which was found from physical examination - and grow up. They even claimed such an absurd logic that ones whose body did not develop normally tend to become criminals, reflecting the then atmosphere of the society, and considered military gymnastics as one of the most important sanitation and hygiene factors that positively influence growth and development. All the fact that Japan tried hard to apply the practice to students cannot be ignored.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Atmosphere ; Colon ; Complement System Proteins ; Criminals ; Education ; Growth and Development ; Gymnastics ; History, Modern 1601- ; Humans ; Hygiene* ; Japan ; Jurisprudence ; Korea ; Logic ; Military Personnel ; Periodicals as Topic* ; Physical Education and Training* ; Physical Examination ; Sanitation