Jejungwon, Medical hospital in Seoul, South Korea.
Jejungwon was a hospital in Seoul founded in 1885 that introduced Western medicine to Korea. The building included specialized areas for different treatments, including eye care and smallpox vaccinations.
A Protestant medical missionary named Horace Newton Allen founded the facility in 1885 during the late Joseon period. The institution later developed into Severance Hospital and relocated in 1904 to a new building.
Staff members treated patients using Western medical methods, which represented an entirely new experience for the population. The institution became a place where traditional and modern healing approaches met.
Its location in central Seoul made it easily accessible to patients from across the city. The facility was equipped with modern tools and instruments that were advanced for the time.
Allen gained royal support after successfully treating an injured royal family member during a coup attempt in 1884. This medical intervention opened the door for royal approval of the new institution.
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