History of dermatology and venereology in Serbia - part III/1: Dermatovenereology in Serbia from 1881 - 1918

This paper deals with the period from 1881 to 1918, when the following Sanitary Laws were passed: Law on the Organization of the Sanitary Profession and Public Health Care (1881), which implemented measures for protection from venereal diseases, as well as restriction of prostitution; Public Sanitary Fund (1881), with independent budget for health care; Announcement on Free of Charge Treatment of Syphilis (1887). Dermatovenereological Departments were also founded: in the General Public Hospital in Belgrade (1881), and in the General Military Hospital (1909). The Hospital in Knjaževac for Syphilis was reopened (1881), as well as mobile and temporary hospitals for syphilis, and a network of County and Municipality hospitals. The first Serbian dermatovenereologist was Dr. Jevrem Žujović (1860 - 1944), and then Dr. Milorad Savićević (1877 - 1915). Skin and venereal diseases were treated by general practitioners, surgeons, internists and neurologists. Although Dr. Laza Lazarević (1851 - 1890) was not a dermatologist, but a physician and a writer, he published three papers on dermatovenereology, whereas Dr. Milorad Godjevac (1860 - 1933) wrote an important study on endemic syphilis. From 1885 to 1912, organization of dermatovenereology service has significantly improved. Considering the fact that archive documents are often missing, only approximate structure of diseases is specified: in certain monthly reports in Zaječar, out of all the diseased persons, 45% had skin or venereal diseases, while in Užice the number was 10.5%, which points to different distribution of these diseases. High percentage of dermatovenereology diseases was caused by high frequency of venereal diseases and syphilis. During the war: 1912 - 1918, the military medical service dominated, and in 1917 Prince Alexander Serbian Reserve Hospital was founded in Thessaloniki with a Department for Skin and Venereal Diseases. During this period, work of the Civilian Health Care Service was interrupted, consequently leading to a considerable aggravation of public health.