A Study on "EuiBangShinGam" by Han Byung Lyun

한병련(韓秉璉)의 "의방신감(醫方新鑑)"과 일제강점기 전염병에 대한 인식

"EuiBangShinGam" is a classic on oriental medicines written by Han Byung Lyun with the pen name Shin Oh in 1913. It was written under the base of the writer's own experience as well as in the light of 36 other classics on oriental medicines such as "DongEuiBoGam", Introduction to Medicine, and Complete Works of Jingyue. In an attempt to avoid difficult theories and list only the essential informations and formulas for clinical purposes, it attained its own characteristics of not only reorganizing DongEuiBoGam in a pragmatic way but also explaining diseases classified in western medicines in oriental medicines' point of view as well as suggesting medicine formulas regarding such explanations. As a result, it is a complete and efficient medical classic through which one can gain knowledge in both classic oriental medicines and combination of western and oriental medicines. Its special features are making a separate chapter for cholera and phthisis, which is also a contagious disease, and trying in the chapter to explain the disease s in words of oriental medicines; listing details of nine major epidemic and matching them with the diseases known in oriental medicines: and recording a case of enforcing sterilization and preventive injection against contagious diseases. Han Byung Lyun, the writ er of the book, was born in northern province of Ham Gyoung, Woong Bu, and the date of death is unknown. He is one of the eight members who conceived and started the idea of organizing the Organization of Practioners of Oriental Medicines, which was a nationwide organization under the motive of restoring Oriental Medicines against the policy under the colonial government of Japan. Living a era of Japanese Imperialism, he stressed the need to accept western medicines if its beneficial to oriental medicines in order to develop oriental medicines for progressive causes. This reflects that he was a person who tried in various ways to extend oriental medicines to another level by facing up to the reality and coming up with a measure to cope up with it. In fact, he was a oriental medicine doctor who tried to protect oriental medicines by founding academic organizations, publishing academic magazines, and writing himself many papers related to oriental medicines. EuiBangShinGam can he summarized as a classic on traditional korean medicine through which one can find out about realities of Japan Imperialism and the attempts of oriental medicine practitioners under the colonial policies of Japan to make oriental medicines more developed by adding one's own thoughts as well as keeping the old, and adjusting to such situations.