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Á¦¸ñ The Control and the Trends of Leprosy in Korea (1948-1968)
ÀúÀÚ Joong Keun Oh, and Joon Lew ¼Ò¼Ó Ministry of Health-Social Affairs and Dept. of Microbiology Yonsei University Medical College, Seoul Korea
³âµµ 1970 ±Ç 7
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¿ä¾à The origin of leprosy is lost in antiquity. Although the term is used freely in
translation of the Old Testament, most leprologists do not believe the Hebrew word ¡°
zaraath¡± has been correctly interpreted. Certainly some of the lesions described by
Moses do not suggest leprosy as it is known today. Creek records of about 500 B.C.
indicate a knowledge of the disease which was called ¡°elephantiasis graecorum¡±.
Various historian would consider India as being the cradle of leprosy. From the shores
of the Indus, this dermatosis, according to tradition, spread itself out by the earth to
entire Asia and to Egypt, whence, through the sea, Phenicians brought it to almost all
countries of Occident.
Hippocrates (460 B.C.), the Father of Medicine, studied it ant named it ¡°Phoenicians
¡± disease.
The earliest record of leprosy in Korea goes back to around the end of 13th century.
By the end of World War ¥±, under the Japanese administration, about 8,000 leprosy
patients were institutionalized under the concept of segregation. By 1958, 8 total of
known, registered leprosy cases in Korea sums 37,571, among which 7,479 are
institutionalized and 30.092 are being treated as domiciliary patients either at home or in
settlement and in resettlement villages.
The modern western medicine was introduced to this country in early 20th century. In
1909 Rev. Drs. W. H. Forsythe and R. M. Wilson founded the first private leprosarium
in Kwangiu and this was the very beginning of introduction of modern medicine into
the treatment of leprosy patients in this country.
During the pasts two and a half decades, many significant progresses have been made
in the treatment of leprosy. The greatest advances was the discovery that sulfone drugs
were effective in leprosy. The sulfone drugs were introduced in this country in 1953.
Since significant progresses have been attained in recent year in Korea.
In 1955, a leprosy out-patient clinic, and in 1957, a leprosy mobile clinic were started.
In 1963, the over-all compulsory segregation law abolished, and this resulted in a
great shift from the previous compulsory institutionisation of the patients, and leprosy
out-patient skin clinics and University hospitals have been engaged in the treatment of
domiciliary patients.
Following the initiation of leprosy mobile service by Catholic Mission in 1955,
additional government or voluntary mobile teams have been established and these have
been actively participating in case finding, treatment of home-patients and publicity
campaign in rural areas.
In response to sudden increase in the number of beggar leprosy cases appeared on the
streets from hiding, due to loose administrative control in 1946, after the end of the
World War ¥±, the Korean Leprosy Prevention Association, tar forerunner of the
present-day Korean Leprosy Asssociation, was organized in 1947 by enthusiastic
volunteers, J. Lew, SW. Bang and their collegues. This laid the foundation social
rehabilitation of cured ex-leprosy cases in this country. By 1968, Governmer, and
Korean Leprosy Association have rehabilitated a total of 10,865 ex-leprosy cases in 68
resettlement or settlement villagers.
By 1968, there existed six leprosy institutions, ie., three of national leprosarium with
5,800 Patients and three of private cripple institutions with 1,779 patients throughout the
nation.
In this study, a series of studies i.e., extensive review on historical background of
leprosy in Korea, analyses of the leprosy control and evaluation of clinical epidemiology
and socio-economical aspects and the trends of leprosy in Korea for the past 21 yearn,
i.e., soon after the liberation of this nation in 1948 up to the 1968 were carried out in
order to define the future plan of operation and policy for control of leprosy in Korea.
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