• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2020

'Medical officials of State Council' (議政府藥房) (MOSC) were bureaucrats who was part of a State Council and provided regular medical care to the State Council's bureaucracy. The Manual for Medical Officials of State Council (議政府藥房式例) (MMOSC) is a rare resource that records the actual work of the MOSC in the 19th century. This paper examines the changing history of the title of 'medical official' (藥房, yakbang) in the Joseon Dynasty and analyzes the role of MOSC by examining the contents of MMOSC. It argues: 1) The MOSC system was established before other similar medical office systems. Subsequently, the Medical Office of Ritual Minister (禮曹藥房) and Medical Office of Patriots and Veterans Minister (忠勳府藥房) were established, followed by Medical Office of General Office (都總府藥房) and Medical Office of Managing Royal Family (宗親府藥房). 2) The MMOSC was first written in 1812 and was augmented in 1832 and 1840. This timeline can be verified through written seal at the end of the literature. 3) In addition to the medicine-related work, the medical office also did the administrative work of the government office.