Andrija Štampar’s actions in combating infectious diseases during World War I (1914–1918)

Abstract

This paper presents the actions of Andrija Štampar during World War I (1914–1918) in combating infectious diseases in Banal Croatia. It illustrates how the widespread occurrence of infectious diseases during World War I, typical of unhygienic wartime conditions, served as a crucial formative experience for Štampar, shaping his thoughts regarding the control of such diseases. He recognised the importance of public education, prevention, and vaccination, which, in turn, influenced his further concepts and views on the organisation and operation of public health. Based on examples from the pre-war period of 1913 to the end of World War I in 1918, the paper discusses how Štampar, through his rapid and professional actions and conscientious interventions in the public and general interest, managed to control epidemic infectious diseases. It also analyses the context of general wartime events and the diseases that ravaged the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy during the researched period, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of his actions. By successfully combating infectious diseases and reducing them to the minimum possible level, Štampar contributed to the development of public health and made an exceptional contribution to modern medicine, guided by the idea that primary healthcare should be accessible to all. As he operated in the background rather than as a frontline physician, his personal experience differed from that of his colleagues who served on the front lines. He thus demonstrated that the health of the civilian population behind the front lines is crucial for the survival of the nation and holds equal importance to the health of soldiers fighting on the battlefields for their state and its interests. Archival material stored in the Croatian State Archives in Zagreb was used for our research. This included, among other things, material from Andrija Štampar’s family fond as well as periodicals and literature, and Štampar’s articles, which were used to reconstruct the political spirit and times in which Štampar worked.