Hygiene Conditions in Garrisons of the Third Army District of the Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1920-1934 Cover Image

Хигијенски услови у гарнизонима треће армијске области војске Краљевине СХС/Југославије 1920–1934
Hygiene Conditions in Garrisons of the Third Army District of the Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1920-1934

Author(s): Dalibor Z. Velojić
Subject(s): Military history, Health and medicine and law, Interwar Period (1920 - 1939)
Published by: Institut za strategijska istraživanja
Keywords: Third army district; Macedonia; garrison; health conditions; malaria; hygiene conditions; Kingdom of Yugoslavia; 1920-1934;

Summary/Abstract: The Third Army District of the Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia included mainly the territories of Macedonia, Kosovo, and Metohija, which until the union belonged to the Kingdom of Serbia. These districts were underdeveloped compared with other districts due to a long period of Ottoman rule. The local population’s “low cultural level” reflected on the life and functioning of the military garrisons, which together with unfavorable climate and terrain conditions, required the special attention of military authorities to educate soldiers in the prevention of contagious diseases. Despite bad conditions in the barracks, significant progress was made to provide the soldiers with clean clothes, regular bathing, and they were spared from hard work. A contributing problem was the bad hygiene habits soldiers brought from their homes. This was corrected by their army officers and visiting doctors through organized lectures. The biggest health threat was the appearance and spreading of malaria, which debilitated entire units and called for the total engagement of all military and civilian resources in its prevention.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 132-144
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Serbian