Korean J Med Hist.  2012 Dec;21(3):477-512.

Hong Seok-hoo's Translation of "New Edition of Physiology Textbook"(1906) and its Meanings

• Park JH
• Park HW

Abstract

Hong Seok-hoo, who took charge of Jejungwon, was successful in translating Jiro Tsuboi's book titled "Sinpyeonsaengnigyogwaseo (1897)" and publishing it with a title of "New Edition of Physiology Textbook" in 1906. Jiro Tsuboi, the original author of that book, was a doctor having majored in Hygienics in Germany and was also known to have done pioneering work in Hygienics and Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Japan. At that time, he wrote that book for the purpose of teaching his students at Ordinary Middle School and Normal School. Therefore, it was not intended as a Physiology textbook for medical students, but an introductory book explaining Physiology with a wide range of subjects including hygienic matters in a broader sense. Hong Seok-hoo made an almost complete translation of the "New Edition of Physiology Textbook." While editing the book, however, he changed some of the most Japanese-style contents to meet the Korean conditions then, and made up for some insufficient contents with reference to the original author's other books. Although it was not included in an original version of that book, he also compiled a physiology dictionary in order to help Korean readers acquire medical terms in a more systematic way. Just like other textbooks of Jejungwon, the "New Edition of Physiology Textbook" was also put into Korean only. Hong Seok-hoo accepted Japanese-style medical terms, but also changed some of them or coined new words, considering the Korean circumstances then. He seemed to do so in an effort to introduce Western medicine in a more independent way while overcoming his limitations of translation. In particular, this book criticized that a long-term use of cosmetics might cause a serious lead poisoning from a Christian viewpoint, saying that a God-created human body should be kept intact as it is. In addition, in the course of reediting premodern books, the term "Lord" was changed into "God," which is considered a kind of fusion between traditional values and missionary medicine. While translating books, Jejungwon could put such fusion into practice because it was a hospital established under the banner of the propagation of Christianity. Besides the "New Edition of Physiology Textbook," at least five physiology textbooks were also translated into Korean in the last years of Daehan Empire for the purpose of teaching students modern subjects like Physiology, Health and Hygienics in educational institutions including Boseong School, Hwimun School and Soongsil School. On the other hand, the "New Edition of Physiology Textbook" was first translated at the end of Daehan Empire in order to foster more professional doctors in medical schools compared to those schools. In this respect, by translating the "New Edition of Physiology Textbook," Jejungwon can be considered as playing a pioneering role in translating Physiology textbooks in the late Daehan Empire.

Keyword

New Edition of Physiology Textbook; Hong Seok-hoo; Avison; Physiology; Jiro Tsuboi

MeSH Terms

Cosmetics
Environmental Medicine
Fees and Charges
Germany
Hand
Human Body
Humans
Japan
Lead Poisoning
Missions and Missionaries
Numismatics
Schools, Medical
Students, Medical
Translating
Cosmetics