The prescriptions of Vuk Karadzic: A dermatovenerological approach

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.