Korean J Med Hist.  2010 Dec;19(2):299-342.

The Medical History and the Death Cause of Young-Jo Based on the Seungjeongwon Ilgi (Royal Secretariat Logs)

• Kim SH
• Kim DR

Abstract

Young-Jo, 83 years old, was the longest lived king of the Chosun Dynasty. Seungjeongwon Ilgi gives more detail about the diseases and prescriptions of Young-Jo. We could close look at what the Annals of the Chosun Dynasty just described that king received medical attention. In inspecting Jung-Jo's constitution, to examine his medical history is very important. Yong-jo had a weak constitution, but he was always concerned about health care. Youn-jo complained of colic syndrom and heart fire when young; ascris and shoulder pain since middle age; severe fatigue and gait disturbance caused by edema in his latter years. During his last 20 years, he had taken and resorted to Ken-GongTang, the reason was not psychological disposion, but physical disease. Also, Yong-Jo's condition just before death could be assumed in Seungjeongwon Ilgi and Jonhyeongak Ilgi. According to continuous complaints such as edema of the lower limbs, faint(lethargy) and eating disorder caused by abnormal rising of GI (anorexia), we could presume that the cause of death was uremia. In addition, it has significance to correct feasible misconceaption about the cause of death grounded on The Annals of the Chosun Dynasty.

Keyword

Young-Jo; Medical History; Death Cause; Chosun King; Seungjeongwon Ilgi

MeSH Terms

Attitude to Health
*Cause of Death
Edema/history/pathology
*Famous Persons
Fatigue/history
History, 18th Century
Humans
Korea
Uremia/history/pathology