The prescriptions of Vuk Karadzic: A dermatovenerological approach
2012
Vuk Karadžic’s estate contains a collection of 136 prescriptions, which were
prescribed to him in the 1810-1862 period due to his health problems. The
paper limits the prescription analysis to dermatovenerology. As there is no
extant diagnosis of Vuk’s illnesses, the interpretation of information at
hand should be taken with a slight reserve. The problem is further
complicated by a complex structure of the prescriptions, polypragmasia,
empirical approach to treatment and insufficient pharmacological knowledge of
the time. The medication predominantly consisted of herbal, but also of
animal and chemical substances. Among all the prescriptions, 32 medicaments
were for external use (skin application); 10 of the group were most probably
used for treating changes on the skin. As we found no mention of a skin
disease in Vuk, we think it most likely that the mentioned medicaments were
used for the skin protection of the knee that relied on a stilt for over 50
years, or for treating the traumatic changes resulting from the same reason.
Twenty-two medicaments were applied to the skin for rubefacient effect, which
soothed the deeper, rheumatic and neurotic pains from which Vuk suffered all
his active life. Special emphasis was laid on a group of 11 prescriptions,
among which ten were for internal (peroral) use, and one for external use,
which contained mercury and herbs, known as standard antisyphilitic therapy
of the age. Based on Vuk’s ailments, medical condition of his family and
administration of these medicaments, it is impossible that Vuk was
syphilitic, although certain scholarly sources may voice unconfirmed rumours
of that.
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