[Dr. Koloman (Kalman) Kalivoda, a physician from Senta and a participant in the first congress of Serbian physicians and naturalists in 1904].

INTRODUCTION

The first congress of Serbian physicians and naturalists was held in Belgrade from September 5-7, 1904. There were 433 active registered participants listed in the Collection of Congress Papers. A great number of physicians from Vojvodina took part in the work of Congress. There is an authentic list of 27 physicians participants from Vojvodina. Although they made only 6% of all participants, their attendance was of utmost importance due to delicate political situation of that time. However, there is no explanation why only one physician from Vojvodina read his paper at this meeting. It was Dr. Koloman Kalivoda from Senta and his paper was tittled "Alcoholism and People".

CONGRESS REPORT

Dr. Koloman (Kalman) Kalivoda was probably born between 1870 and 1875. He moved to Senta in 1901 and in September 1901 started working as a regional physician in the third area. From 1908 he was a member of the Medical Board in Senta. He worked in Senta till October 31, 1918 when he submitted resignation from the post of a regional physician at the Assembly meeting. Then he moved from Senta and started civil service as a Hungarean Royal Resort physician. This paper presents Dr. Koloman's paper in complete, published in the Collection of Congress Papers. This paper received great attention and praises were found at several places such as: journal of "Czech Physicians", number 44 from 1904; "Serbian Literary Herald", volume XIII, number 3 and in journal called "Pozor" from Moravska, number 146 from 1904. Further on, authors comment on Dr. Koloman's attitudes to alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics. Some were estimated as drastic: "the role of alcohol in rase cleansing"; how to "exterminate" alcoholics; suggestions for "interning drunkards overcome by fury" and suggestions for passing a law which would forbid drunkards to get married. Such attitudes of Dr. Koloman Kalivoda towards alcoholism may be associated with the circumstances of that time in Senta, because there are reliable data according to which in 1894 there were 26,648 inhabitants in Senta, whereas one brandy taproom or tavern came on every 213 inhabitants. Contrary to these attitudes, authors think that Dr. Koloman had very progressive ideas in regard to prevention of alcoholism as well as some suggestions and measures that should be undertaken by the society from the aspect of public hygiene.