Page:Village life in Korea (1911).djvu/181

Rh know that he has an anatomy, so far as any scientific knowledge of the same is concerned. And yet the way he can stick rusty needles into his patients without killing them all might lead one to think that he possesses much knowledge of anatomy.

It should be said in the beginning that the people believe in the village doctor, and this accounts for the wonderful hold that he has upon them. In times of sickness they turn to him with the same hope that our people go to the best-trained physicians and the best-equipped hospitals for help. Our village doctor makes no pretensions at surgery, unless the use of the needle and the red-hot iron can be placed under this head. He is always provided with the needles, and is always ready to stick them into any one that comes along with a complaint. For all sorts of pains in the limbs, joints, or any other part of the body these needles are used. A man traveling till his ankles are sore and swollen will call a doctor and have them pierced many times with the needle. This is supposed to cure. I have not tried it, and therefore am not competent to judge. Indigestion is sometimes treated in the same way. I called to see a friend of mine and found him very ill with indigestion. He had been suffering for a long time, and though he had used much medicine he did not improve. So the doctor had applied more heroic measures in the shape of the needle and fire. He showed me the pit of his stomach, which reminded me of a pepper box lid because of the large number of holes which had been made by piercing it with a needle. And then when this had not reached and re-