A Research on the Disease of King Cheoljong in the Joseon Dynasty

조선시대(朝鮮時代) 철종(哲宗)의 질병(疾病)에 관한 고찰 - 『일성록(日省錄)』을 중심으로 -

King Cheoljong was the twenty-fifth King in the Joseon Dynasty. He did not live a comfortable royal life in his childhood. He succeeded to the crown in the age of 19 after a series of poor days in Ganghwado. During his sovereignty over the territory, the noble class with power interfered with his control in almost every issue, so he could not manage his authority as a ruler. His disease history is hardly included in "Formal Records of the Joseon Dynasty(朝鮮王朝實錄)" which is the prime governmental document, however, some of his disease history appear in "Records of the Diaries of the Kings of Joseon(日省錄)". The primary disease of King Cheoljong was nausea-vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea etc. caused by spleen-stomach weakness. Another main illness was phlegm syndrome. He showed symptoms of coughs, asthma, sputum, and he easily caught cold having a weak health condition. He died at 33 and cause of death was unclear with remaining documents. Just small chances are that the cause was lung tuberculosis. He took a large amount of herbal medicine in his life, which was for curing or toning up his body. Tonifying medicinal herbs were used continuously, and curing herbal medicine was used for spleen-stomach weakness, phlegm syndrome and cold treatment. Treatments of acupuncture and moxa rarely appear in the documents.