Medical Applications and Distribution of Borneol during the Joseon Period.

Borneol(yongnoe) was a fragrance and medicinal ingredient with unique efficacy. However, it could be produced only in tropical Southeast Asia and obtained only through international trade. In addition, camphor(jangnoe) with similar material properties was developed and distributed as an inexpensive replacement for borneol, although the processing method is different from that of borneol. Even in Joseon Korea, borneol and camphor were recognized as separate medicines, and efforts were made to obtain a high-quality borneol. Borneol and camphor have a unique effect of relieving inflammation, pain and heavy feeling, so it could be widely applied to symptoms in various diseases. During the Joseon period, borneol was a rare item that could only be obtained through foreign trade, and it was also used for perfumes and insect repellents, but most widely used as medicine. There are many records of actually prescribing borneol to the royal family, and many medicines containing borneol and its effective symptoms were also recorded in the medical books. Borneol was able to spread widely in Joseon society thanks to the practice of distributing 'nabyak' to court officials every year in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar. Since nabyak was used as a household medicine that was stored and used when necessary, pills containing borneol that could be applied to various symptoms were suitable for this purpose. Despite considerable medical demand, borneol was one of the important 'dangyakjae', the Chinese medicines imported to Joseon. During the Joseon period, borneol was imported through China and Japan, but genuine borneol was difficult to obtain, so it was often presented to Joseon as gifts of envoy trade. It is thought that camphor was also imported, but it is not well mentioned in official records or medical books reflecting national demand. Perhaps this is thought to be because the government prioritized securing better quality borneol rather than campher. In the early 17th century, due to the instability of the envoy's route to the Ming Dynasty, Joseon had to import borneol only through the sea. As a result, there were problems with the supply and quality of borneol, and national interest in Japanese borneol temporarily increased. However, as the relationship with the Qing Dynasty stabilized, a system was established to import national borneol demand through the annual envoy trade. Naeuiwon, the medical center for the royal family is in charge of securing and prescribing Chinese medicines, but the cost was covered by the silver paid by Hojo, the ministry of finance of Joseon Dynasty. Since the amount of Chinese medicines used in the preparation of nabyak was not small, the financial burden of importing enough medicines including borneol increased. The purveyors for government played a role in supplying Chinese medicines to the government. Their appearance shows that private merchants were actively involved in the trade of Chinese medicines including borneol. The formation of the medicinal market by private merchants' activities greatly contributed to the widespread expansion of the applications and distribution of borneol.

[Historical study of moth repellent, "Fujisawa Camphor" (6) - manufacturing and selling of "Fujisawa Camphor" during World War II.].

During World War II, the amount of camphor production did not decrease, since it was used for munitions. At that time, camphor was not use for moth repellents, are not a life supporting necessity. The factory that took charge of camphor production was busy producing medicine for military use. Due to the war, an abnormal situation in the factory arose when the procurement department requested supplementation because of reinforcement of a lack of materials. Additionally, in the home, the use of moth repellent for clothing was not a concern. Of importance where was ensuring sufficient food to survive. The supply of "Fujisawa Camphor" for home use started in the post-war days, 1947.

[Historical study of the moth repellent, "Fujisawa Camphor" (7) - selling price and packaging.].

The selling price of "Fujisawa Camphor" has increased 1,000-fold in the 100 years since it first went on sale. This 1,000-fold increase is not high at all. The price of "Fujisawa Camphor" was not low in the 1980s, one of grounds for setting the price was the damage caused by moths to expensive Japanese clothes and curios. For packaging in the Edo era, being wrapped in paper was the mainstream form, but modern-age packaging shifted to a cardboard box. As for "Fujisawa Camphor", a beautiful design was created for the cardboard.

Repellents: past, present, and future.

The use of repellents in protecting people against vector-borne diseases is predicated on the assertion that reducing human/vector contact will reduce the incidence of disease. The methods that have been used in developing countries have been simple to apply and relatively cheap. This article will discuss the use of repellents for protection against vector-borne disease in Southeast Asia and the Southwest Pacific region.

Natural-based repellent products: efficacy for military and general public uses.

The major points addressed in this article regarding natural- or herbal-based repellents are as follows. 1) It is important to recognize the end user when developing and testing repellents. There is a major difference between repellents suitable for nuisance management by the general public as compared with military or public health uses when battle-field conditions or a disease risk is present. 2) The experimental design used to determine repellent efficacy must also recognize the end user. Pest densities should reflect real-world conditions as much as possible. 3) The experimental design should be directed to the pest population, not at a different product. Remember, we should use scientific logic, not market-driven tactics. 4) There is a need for specific regulatory standards for natural repellents to insure not only quality but the proper and most effective means of application and use. 5) There is a need for increased research and development for natural and synthetic repellents.

[Historical study of a moth repellent "Fujisawa Camphor" (4) - newspaper advertisements for "Fujisawa Camphor" in the Meiji Era].

Newspaper advertisements were frequently available as one way of communicating news about new products to the general public during the middle of the Meiji Era. The first newspaper advertisement of "Fujisawa Camphor"' appeared in the Osaka Asahi on June 1, 1989. At that time, the newspaper advertisements of OTC were brilliant and the space taken by them was large, in some cases covering a full page. They appeared daily. However, the ad for Fujisawa Camphors was small and simple. The appeal points of the Fujisawa Camphor advertisement were as follows: 1. Fujisawa Camphor, crystals of refined camphor, are hard and colorless.2. It is effective for insecticide and prevents moisture.3. It is widely used by governments and the military.4. It removes bad smell to protect against infectious diseases.

[Historical study of the moth repellent, "Fujisawa Camphor" (5) - quality assurance and consumers].

In the Meiji Era, the concepts of consumers did not exist; however, customers were certainly valued at that time based on the policy that "the customer is always right". Customers were always considered as guests, and there were no conflicting matters with manufacturers. The sales agency for Fujisawa camphor, Fujisawa Company, took up a positive attitude towards customer services. First, the company excluded imitation products in order to protect customers from poor quality, and second, the company released data regarding camphor comparisons and effects with other insecticides. At that time, they seemed to fear being talked about in terms of the mistaken use of camphor. The company commissioned a public research laboratory to study the interaction of camphor and precious metals, and made an appeal to customers for the truth.

[Historical study of the moth repellent, "Fujisawa Camphor" (3) An exposition as an advertisement media].

Newspaper advertisements were the predominant medium in informing people about new products midway through the Meiji Era. Subscribers to these newspapers, however, were still limited. At the time, expositions were wildly popular. Seizing the opportunity , in 1903 Fujisawa promoted his "Fujisawa Camphor" through aggressive advertising at the 5th Domestic Industrial Exposition in Osaka. The advertising proved to be a success, as Fujisawa took 2nd Prize of the exposition.

[Historical study of a moth repellent, "Fujisawa Camphor" (2) manufacture of borneol].

The manufacture of borneol started in about 1890 by the reduction of camphor at a rural chemical work in Osaka. Fujisawa Company, which refined and sold crude camphor, began to study the techniques necessary to manufacture borneol. In 1912, Fujisawa had succeeded in producing high-quality borneol in its plant. They tried to export it to China, from where they imported it before. The company replaced natural borneol on the market, supplying large amounts of high-quality borneol produced by the reduction method.