Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2009 Dec;42(6):813-820.

The First Written Medical Record on Thoracic Surgery in Korean History

• Kim WG

Abstract

On Dec 22, 1909, a young patriot called Lee Jae-Myung (1986~1910) attempted to assassinate Lee Wan-Yong, the prime minister of the last Yi Choseon cabinet and he later signed the annexation treaty with imperial Japan. Despite that Lee Jae-Myung failed in this assassination attempt, his heroic deed motivated national pride thereafter. After this attempted assassination, a medical record was prepared about stab wound that was inflicted upon Lee Wan-Yong during the trial of Lee Jae-Myung, and this record included many significant specific descriptions that were concerned with thoracic surgery. They included an intercostal stab wound and intercostal arterial hemorrhage, lung injury, chest contusion, traumatic pleuritis and supposedly pneumo-and hemothorax. Thoracentesis for drainage of the serosanguinous pleural effusion was also mentioned. This medical record is judged to be the first written medical record on thoracic surgery in Korean history. The aim of this study is to analyze the content of the record as it is related with a well known episode in modern Korean history.

Keyword

History; History of medical care

MeSH Terms

Contusions
Drainage
Hemorrhage
Hemothorax
International Cooperation
Japan
Lung Injury
Medical Records
Pleural Effusion
Pleurisy
Thoracic Surgery
Thorax
Wounds, Stab