Medical and social care in Rovinj from the mid 15th to the mid 19th century.

By using published and unpublished sources from various archival series kept in the Rovinj Heritage Museum, Chapter Archives of Rovinj and the Diocesan Archives of Porec the authors shed new light and present the health and social care system in the city of Rovinj covering the period which goes from the mid 15th to the mid 19th century. Altruistic mentality of individual citizens, lay and ecclesiastical institutions as well as the need to prevent diseases urged the foundation of medical-social-religious-charitable institutions. In the researched period Rovinj flourished demographically and economically, so that health and social institutions included offices in charge of prevention. When it came to various aspects of social activities, decisions were made by the foreign political authorities--Venetian, French and Austrian administration, although the first initiative would always come from the Rovinj Commune or individual citizens.