‘여성’을 말하는 의학(醫學) 학지(學知) -제국 일본과 산과학(産科學)-

Medical Discourse that is Dealing with <Women> Obstetrics in Imperial Japan

It was not until the Meiji Restoration that Japan had rapid and extensive growing in the introduction of Western medical science. Political dynamics in varied levels, as well as effects of Rangaku(medical science of Dutch) since Edo period and the medical science of England, which was introduced in the end of Bakuhu put the introduction of Western medical science during the Meiji period under a very complex situation. Eventually, German medical science was selected for the appropriate one for Japan. Regarding the result, many studies considered it under relations with political situations of the time, or regarded it as a progressive shift from Oriental medical science to Western medical science. Also, the latter case insisted superiorities of German medical science, so as a result of it, modern Japanese medical science, which was based on German medical science was regarded as a superior one. However, these studies were certainly reproduction of the narrative of progressivism, and at the same time showed a dichotomy between the West and the East. Hence, here I tried to look into the introduction of Western medical science with a different way of approach, while questioning those studies, which had views of progressivism and dichotomy. First, I began the approach by examining the dispute of the medical system during the early period of Meiji, and the issue of employing foreign medical doctors. Also, I looked into how the reorganized medical discourse during the Meiji period was viewing humans as an object of the academic studies. Above all, I focused on the views on women’s body in the reorganized medical discourse. Through the analysis, I could conclude that the reorganized medical discourse was not just an arena of medical issues, but it was an arena that the issues of race, class, and gender were colliding and struggling one another.