조선시대 개인 일기는 문집보다 구체적이고 일상적인 기록을 전해주므로 한의학 자료 발굴이라는 측면에서 연구 가치가 있다. 의학 관련 내용은 주 로 개인의 생활일기 속에서 빈번하게 발견된다. 『眉巖日記』는 16세기 양반의 대표적인 생활일기로서 정치, 학술, 문학, 경제, 과학, 민속, 의학, 신변잡기에 이르기까지 광범위한 내용이 수록되어 있어 주목을 받아왔다. 특히 眉巖은 의학과 양생법에 대한 관심이 높았던 조선 지식인층의 성향을 잘 보여준다. 『眉巖日記』에는 당대의 명의로 이름이 높았던 의학인물들은 물론, 양반들이 향유하던 의학지식을 확인할 수 있으며, 관료들을 중심으로 이루 어진 약재 수급을 살펴볼 수 있는 자료들이 존재한다. 또한 眉巖의 건강상 태 및 질병을 치료하기 위해 시도한 방법들이 드러나 있는데, 의관이나 의원들의 도움을 받기도 했지만 평소에 여러 가지 간단한 방법들을 활용하여 건강을 유지하였음을 알 수 있다. 『眉巖日記』를 비롯한 양반들의 생활일기에 기록된 의학적 자료들을 검토하는 일은 그 시대 의학사에 구체성을 부여 하는 데에 기여할 것으로 생각한다.
Miamilgi(眉巖日記) is a private journal of Yoo Heechun(柳希春, 1513~1577). It provides vast amount of informations on political, social, economical, and cultural environment of 16C, including medicine. In order to assess historical significance of this journal in medical field, medicine-associated contents are classified into 6 categories in this paper. Miamilgi contains information on renowned doctors, such as Heojoon(許浚), Yang Yaesu(楊禮壽), Yi gong-gi(李公沂). Yoo had a intimate relation with Naeyiwon(內醫院). Miamilgi also provides core information of women doctor system. Yoo mentioned various sorts of medical texts, ranging from texts of herbs (本草), emergency medicine(救急醫書), Yangsheng(養生書), prescription(方書) and encyclopedic handbooks(生活百科). Aristocratic men were well equipped with practical knowledge of medicine. They utilized this knowledge on daily life if the illness they confronted didn"t need detailed diagnosis of doctors. Yoo was physically handicapped because of malpractice of surgical acupuncture treatment by his parents, who had not been qualified with medicine. He also had symptoms of diabetes which he gained during his long banishment. He had a great concern for medicine and studied Yangsheng(養生) to preserve health. Accumulation of these knowledge helped him write notes for King Sunjo. He left yangsheng-guidelines for his descendents. There are treatments recorded in his journal. Acupuncture and herbal prescription were practiced by doctors, but some folk remedies were used on his own. He used bath remedy and externally applied with specially processed herbs. In food remedy, he used porridge, alcoholic drink and fruit. Historical documentations and texts are basis of studying the history of medicine, and make different contribution according to their nature. Aristocratic men of Chosun dynasty produced many kinds of official or private journals. Medicine-related contents in journals are fundamental to understand medical environment of the time, because they provides detailed and realistic view.