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Beginnings and Development of Allergology in Croatia from 1870 to 1970

Development of allergy as an immunologic and experimental phenomenon in Croatia went similar as in surrounding neighboring countries. In the present article, I describe the most important events and discoveries that led to the understanding the origin of allergy in the 1870-1970 period. The crucial moments in the development of allergology in Croatia were first linked to the production of vaccines and foundation of the Institute of Immunology and its forerunners in the first half of the 20th century. Establishment of these institutions represented a strong institutional vertical that has played a key role in the development of allergology and immunology in Croatia. The analysis of articles published in Liječnički vjesnik in the 1877-1977 period showed the extent to which allergology was represented and the roles of the most important figures in the field of allergology, such as internist Ivan Hugo Botteri (1876-1963), pediatrician Ernest Mayerhofer (1877-1957), and dermatovenereologist Franjo Kogoj (1894-1983), who paved the way to the scientific research and roused the interest of physicians in this medical area. However, Liječnički vjesnik is not representative source for the development of allergolgy for the whole analyzed time period due to the fact that since 1960-ies large part of Croatian immunologists and allergologists started to publish the best part of their results within various international publications. Gathering of different medical specialists who were interested in allergology resulted in the establishment of Allergology Section of the Croatian Medical Association in 1952. The Section played an important role in the education of a wider academic community through symposia, congresses, and seminars. The analyzed records have shown that the institutional and physicians' activities in the first half of the 20th century laid a firm foundation to modern research, subspecialties, and allergologic centers and units within different medical institutions across Croatia.

Key words: history of medicine – Croatia; development of allergology – Croatia; Liječnički vjesnik – allergy; 19th century; 20th century.

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