[Surgeons, midwives and physicians in Senta in the 18th and 19th centuries].

INTRODUCTION

Authors present history data on development of the medical profession in Prussia, Germany, Austria and Hungary, that is countries from which surgeons, midwives and physicians most often came to work in Senta. It has been established that mostly junior physicians and "surgeons" came to our country, and from the forties till nineties of the 19th century they made a considerable number of our first medical professionals. In 1872 a law was passed according to which only doctors of medicine with university degrees were allowed to practice medicine, and so junior physicians gradually disappeared.

OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND DATA

The earliest data on health care of Senta date back to the tax register for 1771 according to which the expenditure for November contained expenses for bread and half of the allowance for fodder which were paid to the city surgeon. According to the census from 1774/75 the first registered barber surgeon was Mihalj Nad, whereas four years later he was advertised as a surgeon in the tax register. In the following years more surgeons were registered: Janos Grubanovic, Jozef Forgac, Antal Kovac and Johan Brun. The first city midwife registered in the city court record in 1794 was Doroteja Gubik. During 18th century at the territory of Senta only barbers and surgeons were known, and there were no graduated physicians. The first city physician who received a degree from the School of Medicine was Samuel Borod who started working in Senta on April 24, 1822. After that, during 19th century the following physicians worked in Senta: Dr. Laslo Eres, Dr. Jozef Cendic, Dr. Simon Slezinger, Dr. Janos Nepomuki Revai, Dr. Zigmund Veksler, Dr. Adolf Glikstal, Dr. Jozef Kelner, Dr. Mor Lendvai, Dr. Sandor Meri, Dr. Jozef Havel and Dr. Jozef Rejcer. Dr. Janos Nepomuki Revai was at the head of the public health care of our town for 40 years, whereas his predecessor Dr. Jozef Cendić was engaged in this honorable profession for 30 years. Dr. Janos Revai was an outstanding person who introduced vaccination against smallpox and diphtheria, prevented further spreading of trachoma, stopped a great epidemic of cholera in 1892/93 and continually worked on promotion and improvement of health care in Senta. During 19th century the following surgeons worked in Senta: Istvan Budai, Mihajlo Zivković, Jozua Veksler, Istvan Kalman, while the last surgeon working in Senta was Lajos Kuti. In the 19th century the following midwives were registered in Senta: Apolonija Hauser, Verona Kremzer, Regina Zinger, Jozefa Vig, Apolonija Bauc, Apolonija Hauber and Rozalija Huska. At the end, authors list all surgeons, midwives and physicians with complete data on them from all available documents.