Abstract
There are not a few cases in Oriental medicine where a different prescription should be given to some of the patients whose symptoms are similar to each other. In other words, there might happen a misdiagnosis due to an extremely delicate difference in symptoms of the same diseases, causing a patient's condition to get worse or to be even on the brink of death. In such a context, the records in "WooJam JabJeo(愚岑雜著)" are worthwhile to do in-depth research on. Jang-Taegyung described his first-hand experience in major medical treatment very vivaciously during his ages between 25 and 42. Particularly, most of the prescriptions recorded in this book include not only his empirical prescriptions on the patients who life was almost on the brink of death but it also so plentifully contained the process of overcoming the side effect caused by other clinics' misdiagnosis; thus, that this book is drawing attention in that it could be indispensable materials not only in the research on medical history but also for clinical treatment. Particularly, as regards two cases of insanity, this book mentions the reason for using totally different prescription on one case from the other case even though the two cases had a similar symptom, through which we can acquire somewhat concrete experience in curing scenes though indirectly during the period of the Joseon Dynasty. We were able to get the result from the analysis of the two cases of insanity as follows: 1. WooJam, in treating the two cases of insanity due to the severe exacerbation of yang energy, managed to treat the one case by inducing a bowel movement and the other case by inducing urination. Such a different treatment seems to be greatly attributable to the constitutional factor of the two patients. Such an Oriental-medicine-based method of diagnosis and prescription as WooJam's is rarely found in Western medicine-i.e., that's why more thorough research on Oriental medicine is deeply required. 2. In case of the second patient, the patient arrived at insanity due to another clinic's treatment on perspiration on the patient with severe mouth thirst. This medical story once again highlights the importance of a diagnosis in today's Oriental medicine and at the same time it's a good example showing how big the side effect caused by the abuse of medicinal herbs is. The second patient's body fluids ran dry and finally his yang energy got exacerbated all the more due to the treatment by perspiration.
