The Achievements and Limitations of Researches That Make Use of Interviews for the History of Medicine in Korea / 의사학

An interesting aspect of the many recent researches on the history of medicine in Korea is a concentration on oral histories, a trend that is sure to supplement the lack of medical documents and historical materials covering the modern period. This trend will also contribute to the invention of new approaches in the historiography of medicine. Although the fragments of oral testimony cannot be expected to give a perfect representation of historical reality, such "slices of life" help represent history from the viewpoint of ordinary people and members of the medical profession who are less often acknowledged. The recent researches that have taken oral testimony on the history of medicine in Korea have both racked up achievements as well as encountered limitations. First, many disciplines such as history, literature, cultural anthropology, folklore, sociology, and the history of medicine have used the technique of oral histories in the research approaches, and, especially since the start of the 2000s, have produced a variety of materials. The large amounts of raw materials published in these many disciplines are sure to bring even higher research achievements. Second, for the most part, oral history researches in the medical profession have concentrated on second-tier practitioners, such as midwives, apothecaries, and acupuncturists, and the experiences of such untypical sufferers as lepers and victims of germ and atomic warfare. While the oral history of more prominent medical figures tends to underline his or her story of success, the oral histories of minority participants in the medical profession and patients can reveal the truth that has remained veiled until now. It is especially meaningful that these oral histories enable researchers to reconstruct history from below, as it were. Third, the researches that take the oral history approach are intended to complement documentary records. Surprisingly, through being given the opportunity to tell their histories, the interviewees have frequently experienced the testimony as an act of self-healing. Formally, an oral history is not a medical practice, but in many cases the interviewee is able to realize his or her own identity and to affirm his or her own life's story. It is in this light that we need to pay attention to the possibilities of such a humanistic form of therapy. Finally, because the research achievements depend on oral materials, the objectivity and rationality of description take on an important research virtue. When conducting an oral history, the researcher partakes of a close relationship with interviewees through persistent contact and can often identify with them. Accordingly, the researcher needs to take care to maintain a critical view of oral materials and adopt an objective perspective over his or her own research object.

Biological Profiles of Korean Atomic Bomb Survivors in Residence at Daegu and Kyungbuk, Republic of Korea

In 1945, many Koreans, in addition to Japanese, were killed or injured by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. This study compared the biological profiles of Korean atomic bomb survivors in residence at Daegu and Kyungbuk, Republic of Korea with those of a representative sample of Koreans obtained during a similar period. We evaluated anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood cell counts, blood chemistry, and urinalysis of survivors (n=414) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=414) recruited from the third Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2005. Univariate analyses revealed significantly higher systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, and serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and aspartate aminotransferase levels (p<0.01) in the survivors. Conversely, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, red blood cell count, and the proportion of positive urine occult blood (p<0.01) were lower in the survivors. Our findings suggest that biological profiles of Korean atomic bomb survivors were adversely affected by radiation exposure.

Non-cancer Diseases of Korean Atomic Bomb Survivors in Residence at Hapcheon, Republic of Korea

Many Koreans, in addition to Japanese, were killed or injured by the atomic bombs detonated over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. Our study examined noncancer diseases of Korean A-bomb survivors in residence at Hapcheon, Republic of Korea and evaluated whether they had significantly higher prevalence of noncancer diseases than non-exposed people. We evaluated a number of tests, including anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood chemistry, hepatitis B surface antigen, and urinalysis, of survivors (n=223) and controls (n=372). Univariate analysis revealed significantly lower fasting glucose and creatinine, and higher diastolic blood pressure, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and blood urea nitrogen levels in the survivors than in the controls. The calculation of crude prevalence ratios (PRs) revealed that A-bomb survivors had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (PR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.35) and chronic liver disease (2.20; 1.59-3.06) than controls. After adjusting for covariates (age, sex, body mass index, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, and smoking), A-bomb survivors had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension (1.24; 1.06-1.44), chronic liver disease (2.07; 1.51-2.84), and hypercholesterolemia (1.79; 1.11-2.90) than controls. This study suggests that A-bomb exposure is associated with a higher prevalence of non-cancer diseases in Korean survivors.

Cutaneous reactions in nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

Nuclear, biological and chemical warfare have in recent times been responsible for an increasing number of otherwise rare dermatoses. Many nations are now maintaining overt and clandestine stockpiles of such arsenal. With increasing terrorist threats, these agents of mass destruction pose a risk to the civilian population. Nuclear and chemical attacks manifest immediately while biological attacks manifest later. Chemical and biological attacks pose a significant risk to the attending medical personnel. The large scale of anticipated casualties in the event of such an occurrence would need the expertise of all physicians, including dermatologists, both military and civilian. Dermatologists are uniquely qualified in this respect. This article aims at presenting a review of the cutaneous manifestations in nuclear, chemical and biological warfare and their management.

Management of military medicine in new war defense

Management of military medicine service during a war faces two major kinds of weapons, conventional and unconventional.Now a days,production and application of unconventional agents and weapons of mass destruction [chemical,biological,nuclear and remote control weapons] which are called new arsenal, threaten more and more the health and life of living things and human beings every day. Super powers use these kinds of weapons for their sovereignty on other countries.The main goal of military medicine management is to maintain the health of military staff during war and peace with increasing the awareness of personnels by functional methods.The objective of this article is to emphasise roles of management of military medicine in defence during new wars. This is an original article in which the records of imposed war and the pattern of military health management in modern war counterattacks and the evidence from countries involved in these kinds of wars and crisis are mentioned and Persian and English literature were used as examples. Results show that the responsibility of military health management in modern war counterattacks is not just limited to the times of war and crisis; these issues should also be considered in the peace time as well as war and crisis in order to achieve its objectives. Preparation, providing required conditions, and acquiring information about weapons, their application and the methods to tackle them, should all be done in this phase and necessary training should be provided for military personnels and people who are in danger. Debate on using modern weapons is now of great importance since the types of weapon and their destructive effects -even if used in a limited level- have been changed. Ignoring this issue can easily affect the moral and military capabilities of ordinary people as well as military personnel and has a special importance. Although the application of these weapons may not be as widespread as before, current destructive effects of these weapons is now much greater than before. Special attention should be paid to this issue

Investigation of depleted uranium contamination in south west of Iraq

The application of DU emanation for first time contaminated certain areas in the south west region of Iraq after the second Gulf war [1991]. These contaminated areas were discovered in 1994. Radioactive contamination was detected using the nuclear enterprise PCM5/1 in soil samples collected from two regions near by grazing lands. This study was done for assessment of DU contaminated soil in the regions under study. Portable detector was used for radiation measurement of the contaminated area. Samples from each region were selected and taken to Baghdad kept in plastic bags for gamma ray spectroscopy measurement. Gamma-ray spectroscopy system consists of high purity germanium [HPGE] detector surrounded by appropriate shield. The measurement of detector efficiency using [GDR] computer programs, supplied by Canberra Company was used to analyze gamma-ray spectrum. The activity of [234] Th, [235]U, [238]Pa and other natural isotopes were measured. The measurement by gamma -ray spectrometry system showed that six samples were heavily contaminated with DU, because the presence of [243]Pa and [235]U peak and the percentage ratio between [235] U/[238]U were less than 0.005, when both international mathematical methods, namely IAEA and Kosovo, were used. Because of existence of radiation equilibrium between [234]Th and [234]Pa, the measurements should be accurate. The result showed that six of the samples were heavily contaminated with DU and there is a good agreement between the two methods. Because of the accuracy and ease of the Kosovo method, it is recommended for future investigations

Maqueta representativa de un punto de tratamiento especial / Representative maquette of a point of special treatment

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivos divulgar la construcción de una maqueta representativa de un punto de tratamiento especial y aspectos relacionados con la liquidación de las consecuencias del uso de las armas de exterminio en masa y de productos tóxicos industriales. Sustituye, con el empleo de la maqueta, las visitas a otras unidades con el consiguiente ahorro en consumo de recursos y tiempo del personal. En la confección de esta se produjo un gasto aproximado de $1 050,87; de esto en hombres días de trabajo fue $1 020,50 y en recursos materiales $30,37. Su tiempo de vida útil se calcula en 10 años. El costo de una clase sin la maqueta es igual a $2 063,40 en un año de proceso docente; teniendo en cuenta las clases a impartir en este tiempo, el costo ascendería a $8 253,60

Armamento no letal: un dilema tanto médico como ético / Non-lethal weapons: a medical and ethical dilemma

La revolución científico-técnica contemporánea ha dotado a la humanidad de un importante conjunto de logros en prácticamente todas las esferas. El pensamiento y accionar científico que la originó estaba destinado al progreso en función de la paz , el bienestar y el desarrollo de las fuerzas productivas. El artículo habla del desarrollo de un nuevo tipo de armamento el cual se denomina "no letal". Por la propia denominación de este, tiende a ser presentado como un ejemplo de armamento "tolerable" comparando su relativa incapacidad para la producción de bajas sanitarias con la conocida, mediante el empleo del armamento convencional y el de producción de bajas sanitarias múltiples. Se enfatiza en lo nocivo y engañoso de la denominación de este nuevo tipo de armamento y se alerta sobre el peligro que en guerras futuras emerjan figuras clínicas con lesiones combinadas (arma convencional más armamento no letal) de escaso conocimiento por el personal que en esas circunstancias tengan que prestar la asistencia médica a dichos damnificados. Por último, se hace hincapié en la encrucijada que en el orden ético se enfrenta la medicina contemporánea al tener que reconocer y tratar figuras clínicas resultantes de los efectos mal empleados de los logros de la revolución científico-técnica

Nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. Part I: Medical aspects of nuclear warfare.

Casualties in earlier wars were due much more to diseases than to weapons. Mention has been made in history of the use of biological agents in warfare, to deny the enemy food and water and to cause disease. In the first world war chemical agents were used to cause mass casualties. Nuclear weapons were introduced in the second world war. Several countries are now involved in developing nuclear, biological and chemical weapon systems, for the mass annihilation of human beings, animals and plants, and to destroy the economy of their enemies. Recently, natural calamities and accidents in nuclear, chemical and biological laboratories and industries have caused mass instantaneous deaths in civilian population. The effects of future wars will not be restricted to uniformed persons. It is time that physicians become aware of the destructive potential of these weapons. Awareness, immediate protective measures and first aid will save a large number of persons. This series of articles will outline the medical aspects of nuclear, biological and chemical weapon systems in three parts. Part I will deal with the biological effects of a nuclear explosion. The short and long term effects due to blast, heat and associated radiation are highlighted. In Part II, the role of biological agents which cause commoner or new disease patterns is mentioned. Some of the accidents from biological warfare laboratories are a testimony to its potential deleterious effects. Part III deals with medical aspects of chemical warfare agents, which in view of their mass effects can overwhelm the existing medical resources, both civilian and military.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)