The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-08-26
AMERICA VS.. KOREA
in MEDICAL AID
VAST CONTRAST OF MEDICAL
TREATMENT IN AMERICA WITH
THAT IN koREA-INTEREsTiNG
FACTS BROUGHT OUT BY DR..
JONES' RECENT ACCIDENT.

The recent accident Of DR.. George
Heber Jones, the Korean missionary.
an account Of which was given yester-
day in The Forum, draws attention to
some interesting contrasts in the
method of medical treatment in
America, which he received. and that
which he might have received had he
been in Korea at the time.
When DIR. Jones fell down the eIeva-
tor shaft in New York, his cry
brought help at once and he was i'm
mediately removed to a hospital where
ne was given the treatment of skilled
surgeons and was waited on by the
very best nurses training can produce.
Although he will suffer much main
from the confusion of both ankels he
received in the fall and the scalp
wound, and will be unable to walk for
several weeks, everything known to
modern medical science is being done
for him.
How different the care DIR. Jones
would have been given had the ac-
cident occurred in the land of the
morning calm (Korea). In a few
places missionaries have built hospi-
tails and are healing diseases. operat-
ing on difficult cases, and giving ease
from pain to those who can never
again have health Of body. But for
the most part as In Wunju, there Is
no knowledge of surgery.
Let the dread smallpox visit a mud
hut and the practice Of the fathers is
followed. II a leg be broken in a fall
the Korean method is used. When
fever racks the body the custom Of the
land is religiously carried out. The
materia medica is an unknown volume
to them. The keen blade Of the sur
geon and the strengthening splints
have no part in their alleviations.
And the reducing of fever-weiI, one
who beholds strings and rags tied to
posts and trees. the throwing OF stones
into cayerns and the burning of paper
prayers to paper gods. might well i'm
agine the nervous system OF the
friends of the patient out OF order
rather than an attempt was being
made to effect cure.
As II is the influence OF the evil
spirits that blind the eyes Of children.
disease the bodies Of youth. and twist
the limbs OF the aged, IL is this evil
spirit that must be treated and not the
patient. The doctor is called the arnu-
dang" An abandoned character of
the lower class. she claims fellowship
with spirits. And the spirits are co
numerous and firmly believed in that
the nudang does not have to stir up
the faith of the sick when sent for.
In Korean belief. earth air and the
sea are peopled by demons. They
haunt every outrageous tree, shady
ravine, crystal spring and mountain
crest These demons touch the Korean
at every point in his life. They are on
the roof, ceiling. fireplace, kang and
beam. They All the chimney, the shed,
the living room, the kitchen and they
are In every Jar and on every shelf.
This belief keeps the Korean In con-
slant state of nervous apprehension
and surrounds him with indefinite hor-
rors. 50 that hts life on earth Ii vir-
tuaily one long Journey of fear.
Into this devil-po atmosphere
comes the mudang to battle with the
evil hosts who have brought the dis
cases Thep Professional calls begin
by her assistants scraping on d bas-
ket to attract the attention Of the
spirit. while the nudang dances her.
SELF into frenzy and bids the spirit
come out Of the sick room.
Calling the spirit by narie sac
states the price necessary 10 be paid