In Chosun dynasty, Hansen’s disease was neglected by peoples. Hansen’s disease patients had altered face or arms or legs, so they were despised and lived in lonesome village. The cause of Hansen’s disease was environmental factor like sea or “Poong(wind)” that is from oriental philosophy. But the missionary from west in the late Choson Dynasty healed the Hansen’s disease by spiritual and physical aspect. Hansen’s diasease was controlled by Presbyterian Church U.S.A.(PCUSA) and Presbyterian church in the United States(PCUS) and Presbyterian church in Australia. Presbyterian church was from the Reformation and established in Scotland. The church was developed in England and USA. After American Civil War, the Presbyterian church was divided to PCUSA and PCUS. Allen who in PCUSA was the first settled missnary in Korea in 1885. In 1892, Missionaries from PCUS was arrived in Korea. In 1889 Austrilian missionary, Henry Davis was arrived in Pusan. They made Hansen’s hospital in Pusan(1909, Sangaewon), in Kwangju(1911, Aeyangwon), and in Daegu(1917, Aerakwon). Hansen’s disease mission was in progress by medical science. The medical scientist who breaked away from the dark age of the Middle Ages by the Reformation researched the human body by medical science. They discovered the cause of the infectious disease. Hansen’s revealed Hansen’s disease is the contagious disease by Mycobacterium leprae. He insisted the isolation policy, so the Hansen’s disease was controlled. The missionary in Korea known this scientific knowledge, so they controlled the Hansen’s disease efficiently. The private control of Hansen’s disease was controlled by spiritual and medical aspect, so the patients of Hansen’s disease in colonial Chosun was lived in religious belief and medically improved state.
Keywords: Hansen’s disease, colonial period in Korea
