Author(s): Ibrahim Krzović,Senella Krehić-Fočak / Language(s): Bosnian
Issue: 8-9/2020
In the time before the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, there was a shortage of health facilities and trained medical staff in Sarajevo. The influence of oriental, Islamic medicine was great and numerous books and recipes were used for healing, mostly with medicinal herbs. The advantage of using water has also been established since the arrival of the Turkish rule. Regarding health facilities, in the beginning there was only the Waqf Hospital. Located in Nadmlini, the building was built with the funds of GaziHusref-beg’s endowment (waqf). The foundations were laid in 1885, and it was opened on October 8, 1866. Thus, it can be concluded that, after the arrival of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, the health facilities, which the new administration came upon were the Waqf Hospital, and almost at the same time the Military Hospital was built, the foundation of which was laid in June 1866. The existence of the asylum in Hajji Sinan’sTekke, from the beginning of the 18th century, should also be noted. A very important source for the treatment of diseases were, in large numbers, healing manuscripts (“mejmuas”), with very rich contents of the description of diseases and their treatment. In brief, the situation in which social changes and the establishment of a new administration occur is characterized by previously received and practiced experiences of phytotherapy, education in domestic madrasas or other cities of the Turkish Empire, by transcription or adoption of medical books, by compilation of healing manuscripts and dictionaries. Due to the lack of trained doctors, medical practice, i.e. treatment of patients was performed by folk healers, and empiricism was also present. The situation with health facilities changed significantly during the Austro-Hungarian rule, when in 1892 it was decided to build a General National Hospital in Sarajevo, modernly equipped and arranged according to, at that time, modern requirements, which will serve to treat and improve the general health status of the population, and the development of various branches of medical practice. Studying health opportunities and health facilities is an important source for the research of health culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
More...