TDK conference 2008

Most evidence we have concerning medicine and veterinary medicine is from the Roman Age (279 A.D.). The archeological diggings in Mitrovica have revealed a number of surgical instruments.

Age of the Turks: After the fall of the Roman Empire (476), the Hun, Slovenian and other tribes use Vojvodina as a „migration crossroads”. Only turkish smiths or nalbants were allowed to treat horses. The Turkish Era was ended by the Battle of Senta in 1697.

The appearance of Slavic peoples:Slavic tribes appear on the Balcan peninsula from 580, the Serbian Tribal Alliance is founded. Dushan’s laws concerning (among many others) the fundamentals of statehood are passed in 1349 in Skoplje, and complemented in Ser in 1354. These laws regulate grazing in the summer, as well as in the winter, furthermore they state the responsibilities of dog owners. In the Middle Ages these tribes kept swine half-nomadically in the forests called stanište. A better known royal forest for pigs was the general vicinity of Prishtina. Based on information found on Dechan painting, they kept siska swine. The Hodosh Codex (14th or 15th century) is the oldest medical codex translated to Slovenic folk language. Agatangel Hristić wrote the Dechan Codex in 1859, this book contains 50 prescriptions and magical formulae, and it uses technical terms for the first time (e.g.: colica, bronchitis).

The Austro-Hungarian Monarchy: Vojvodina becomes a part of the Monarchy after the Turks. Sándor Tolnay’s original work entitled Institutiones de praecavandis ac curandis luibus is translated to Slovenic (around 1800). The first veterinarian of Vojvodina is Anton Semajer (1822), who worked in Vršac. The first veterinarian of Bezdan is Mátyás Verkner (1894), who tried to eradicate foot and mouth disease.

Veterinary literature: The first veterinary book in Serbian is published in Buda in 1816 by an unknown author, which deals with the treating of cattle, horses, sheep and swine. Veterinary books published in Serbia: Lek od konjskog kašlja és Kako se imaju ovce od šapa lečiti (unknown author, 1846).

The peak of veterinary training: The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is founded in Belgrade on July 22, 1936. The first lecture was Botany, given by prof. dr. Stevan Jakovljević in front of 149 students. On October 20, 1938 prof. dr. Mile Rajčević was elected dean on their first meeting. The identification of kala-azar (leishmaniosis) is connected to Prof. dr. Antonije Vuković (1872-1956).

Veterinary association: The Serbian Royal Association of Cattle Physiscians is founded on December 12 and 13, 1903. On their meeting on December 27 they agreed on beginning a veterinary journal entitled Veterinarski glasnik. The Academy of Veterinary Medicine (Akademija veterinarske medicine) is founded on February 2, 1999, with prof. dr. Zlatibor Petrović as its director.

Nearly today: The Department of Veterinary Medicine is founded as a part of the School of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad in 2000, with prof. dr. Stanko Boboš heading the department.