Kim O J
Program in History & Philosophy of Science, Seoul National University.
Uisahak. 1993;2(1):38-58.
Smallpox was one of the most dreadful epidemic diseases in Korea until the early twentieth century. In the Chosŏn period, smallpox came to prevail more frequently and vigorously, and many people died of the disease. To cope with smallpox, the society of Chosŏn had various modes of measures, though they were not always effective, which included the government's rituals, medical men's prescriptions, and folk's recipes. Among various responses to smallpox, the recipes of folklore seem to be very interesting. While attitude toward other contagious diseases (e.g., typhoid fever, or malaria) mainly consisted of exorcism, smallpox was believed to be the passage of the smallpox deity. Sonnim (which means guest), through the body of patient for certain time span, and gods of smallpox were treated hospitably. This attitude toward smallpox was deeply rooted in Korean shamanism, and partly in the natural history of the disease. From 1876 smallpox vaccination was reintroduced and practiced. There were, however, a lot of difficulties in practice of vaccination due to distrust and prejudice. and traditional dealings with smallpox, in spite of vaccination, didn't disappear even after the Japanese compulsory occupation.
直到20世纪初，天花都是朝鲜最可怕的流行病之一。在朝鲜时代，天花更为频繁且肆虐地流行，许多人死于这种疾病。为应对天花，朝鲜社会采取了各种措施，尽管并非总是有效，这些措施包括政府的仪式、医者的药方以及民间的疗法。在对天花的各种应对措施中，民间疗法似乎非常有趣。虽然对其他传染病（如伤寒或疟疾）的态度主要是驱邪，但天花被认为是天花神灵的降临。 “客人”（意为客人），在一定时间内通过患者的身体，人们热情款待天花之神。这种对天花的态度深深植根于韩国萨满教，部分也源于这种疾病的自然史。1876年起，天花疫苗接种被重新引入并实施。然而，由于不信任和偏见，疫苗接种在实践中存在诸多困难。而且，尽管有疫苗接种，传统的天花应对方式即使在日本强制占领后也没有消失。
