
🇺🇸 Health conditions in Pirot and its surroundings from the 18th to the mid-20th century (Debate)
Health conditions in Pirot and its surroundings before and during the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century underwent a major evolution from traditional folk medicine to a modern healthcare system. Due to marshy terrain and its location on a busy road, the region was exposed for centuries to floods and devastating epidemics such as plague and cholera, which is why the local population primarily relied on folk healers, medicinal herbs, and manuscripts such as the "Pirot Pharmacopeia" (Pirotska lekaruša). A turning point in modernization began in the second half of the 19th century with the opening of the first pharmacies and the introduction of strict state supervision over public health. Following the liberation in 1877, the first medical institutions were established, educated doctors arrived, and the first surgical operations were performed, while extensive urban engineering works raised the town above the waterlogged soil. In the first half of the 20th century, Pirot finally consolidated itself as a modern medical center with developed disease prevention, institutional epidemiological surveillance, and hygienic infrastructure. SOURCES: Ćirić JV. Zdravstvene prilike u Pirotu i srezu Nišavskom u vremenu između dva svetska rata. Pirotski zbornik. 1972; 4: 83–102. Ćirić PB, Jeremić MM, Ćirić DB, et al. Kuga u Jagodini i Pirotu u 19. veku. Uzdanica. 2021; 18(2): 11–18 Čukić G. Pegavi tifus u Srbiji u Drugom srpsko-turskom ratu 1877/78. godine. Acta Medica Medianae. 2012; 51(3): 55–64 Džunić R. Hronologija razvoja i jačanja zdravstva: Narodno zdravlje stvara bogatstvo. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 38–39 Ilić JM. Grip ili španska groznica u Budžaku na Staroj planini. Pirotski zbornik. 2021; 46: 25–41 Jeremić MM, Stanojlović NS, Vuković AP. Početak razvoja zdravstva u Pirotskom okrugu. Uzdanica. 2023; 20(2): 277–284 Krivošejev V. Španska groznica 1918–1920: zapostavljena i zaboravljena epidemija u Srbiji. Tokovi istorije. 2025; (1): 15–46 Lazarević D. Parametri mortaliteta stanovništva pirotske varoši od 1879. do 1889. godine. Pirotski zbornik. 2020; 45: 31–44 Lilić B. Narodna medicina u vreme Turaka: Samo da nije bilo čume. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 18–19 Lilić B. Velika kuga u pirotskom kraju od 1836. do 1838. godine: vreme plača, jauka i leleka. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 16–17 Lilić B. Zdravstvene prilike u pirotskom okrugu u vreme oslobodilačkih ratova 1912–1918. godine. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 25–28 Lilić B. Zdravstvo posle oslobođenja od Turaka od 1878. do 1918. godine. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 21–24 Manić M. Pirotski vremeplov — hronologija. Pirot: Istorijski arhiv u Pirotu; 2017 Marjanović V. Osnivanje prve apoteke u Pirotu 4. avgusta 1880. Pirotski zbornik. 1971; 3: 85–94 Marković M, Pljevljakušić D, Nikolić B, Rakonjac L. Application of dog rose (Rosa canina L.) in ethnomedicine of the Pirot County. Pirotski zbornik. 2020; 45: 1–16 Milovanović B, Ristić Vakanjac V, Vakanjac B, et al. Traditional use of common centaury (Centaurium erythraea) in the Pirot District. Pirotski zbornik. 2023; 48: 175–190 Papović O, Pljevljakušić D, Marković M. Ethnopharmacological application the plants from family Geraniaceae in the Pirot County. Pirotski zbornik. 2021; 46: 43–51 Pejčić M. Istorija zdravstvene kulture pirotskog kraja u XIX veku. Medicus. 1997; 5-6: 4–15 Pejčić M. Zdravstvene prilike u pirotskom okrugu prvih godina posle oslobođenja od Turaka 1877. godine. Pirotski zbornik. 1979; 8-9: 51–62 Rakonjac LB, Nikolić BM, Eremija S, et al. Tradicionalna upotreba divlje kruške u Pirotskom okrugu. Pirotski zbornik. 2023; 48: 1–18 Stankov Jovanović V, Šmelcerović A, Smiljić M, et al. Ethnopharmacological application of St. John’s wort in Pirot County. Pirotski zbornik. 2018; 43: 141–164 Zlatković D. Tradicionalna medicina Pirota i okoline. Glasnik Etnografskog muzeja. 2010; 74(2): 133–176


















