STATUS OF MEDICINE, MEDICAL TRAINING, RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500410043-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 26, 2000
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: March 2, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/08/11: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500410043-6
25X1
CONFIDENTIAL
SUBJECT Status of Medicine, Medical Training, Research and
Public Health
COUNTR'? Yugoslavia
25X1 PLACE ED
DATE AC "D
25X1
DATE (or INFj.)
25X1
ANO 71A. 0- TMt U.1. COCI. A[ AM[N n!~, 171 TN AN IYIS110N OA RLYt?
CATION 0- ITS CONT*NT1 TO OR 0101FIT LY AN IINAU TNOAIS[0 '1110N IL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
25X1
N I N F O R M A T I O N AF/[CTINS TNL NATIONAL OLIEN/t
0, TM[ UNITSO STATES. sITNIM TNt M[ANINO OR 71TL1 It. 2101100/ 751
THIS Is UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1
DATE DISTR? m R R 5?
NO. OF PAGES 6
NO. OF ENCLS.
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
Organization of Medical Services
1. There are two types of medical service: (1) State, and (2) private. There
are many private doctors in Xugoalavia. They are entirely-.free L?rom
governmental, control, and they are the rich men among professional workers.
There is a shortage of medical manpower. There are only five to six thousand
loss in Yugoslavia for a total population of 17 million, This is one of the
principal bottlenecks-to' good medical service. The quality of performance
of private practitioners is =0h higher thht-'that of state doctors. It is
still the ideal of the medical man to have his 'own practice. The people
do use pri.vate doctors even though they have to pay for such oervices.
2. It is compulsory for every medical student, upon completion of his medical
stu3..i.es, to spend two years working for the State. Young doctors perform such
services as working in rural areas with an ambulatorium (office). Only after
the performance of such service arc: doctors eligible for more advanced,
specialized training. These offices, or ambulatoria, have overly heavy
patient loads because of the lack of doctors. Gradually, they are getting
good equipment, e.g. electrocardiographs; most of such equipment comes
from Germany. These ambulatoria have two sets of doctors: one to take care
of incoming patients, and one set to go out to visit patients.
25X1
 Appro4d F9r Release 2003/08/11: CIA-RDP80-00809A000500410043-6
25X1 25X1
CONFIDENTIAL,
_FF
- 2 -
3. Health Insurance: The ambulatoria are state-owned and the patients are all
covered by public 'insurance. Insurance is~paid by the government and by the
factory or office w-here!the individual works, 50% by each; the individual
pays nothing on hi .own, insurance. When al ;person becomes sick, if he works
he gets a form fromhislemployer to take to the doctor. If the person is not
employed he may st.ll'go to the doctor in the ambulatorium and get free
treatment; obtaining the necessary form might take a little longer. About
two-thirds of the .octors in Yugoslavia practice under this insurance plan.
Some work full tim~,forithe state, and others have part time private practice.
The national healthlinsurance program is aery good idea, hut the quality
of this state ser1ceii inferior.
Preventive Media
Preventive medicine plays a greater part in Yugoslavia
than in Western co tries, because primiti'Ie hygienic conditions exist in
Yugoslavia. Many octors cannot do public service because they don't have
traini.g in this type of medicine (this applies especially to the older
doctors). After World War II quite a number of German doctors were invited
to Yugoslavia to help get the medical profession started again, but this was not
too successful because the Germans lacked necessary preventive medicine
training. The mainlpreventive medicine problems in Yugoslavia are: (1) general
hygienics in disease, and. (2) nutrition for childxen. With UN and UNICEF
help after World War II, two diseases werellrased in Yugoslavia. They were:
(1) epidemic typhus (knocked out by DDT), and 2 endemic syphillis (treated
with a form of penicillin). F_ I
25X1
Medical Education 17acilities
5. Yu lavia has .fi. eImedical schools:
(1) University of Belgrade, (2) University
of .'_agreb, (.3) University of Sarajevo, (4) (University of Ljubljana and (5) University
of Skoplje. The Belgrade and Zasr. k schools were established after World War I;
Sarajevo was found l944 or _-aabouts, and the medical schools at Ljubljana
and Skoplje. were s Pup after World War IT. A fixed number of medical students
is authorized for each school. At Belgrade and Zagreb two hundred students are
accepted in the beginning class. At the three. smaller schools (Sarajevo,
Ljubljana and Skopije) one hundred students are admitted to the first class.
There azr? five classes to the medical *training, and six years is the average
amount of time it takes to complete medical school and a year of interning.
:n rnoont yof -3 th?' output of doctors from the medical schools each year has boon
eboub five, hundre'l.
6. Medical students don't pay anything for their training. They are paid three
thousand dinars per, lmonth for their living expenses (about US$il0); their
tuition is paid fibs them, and they receive (their textbooks free. Usually
they get_.some extraf.nancial help from home. They are paid by the government
for only the avoragel! amount of time it takes to finish medical school, and the
student must finish within that allotted time ox pay his own way for any time
in school beyond that authorized. There is'no way for a'student to earn
supplemental incomellfromiodd joLs, as is dole in the US. A few good students
are used as iemonstxatora or sub-instructors, but that is all.
7. The Yugoslav medico schools corrbine, to ol certain degree, the US and European
systems. (In most European universities there is no limitatl:)n on the number
Of students permitted to'attend medical school, but an entrance examination
i.s required,.) At Yugoslav medical schools about 25% of the students are flunked
throu@;hout ttie tour-e. The students now come from all economic levels without
di.scri.minatio:. III
25X1
CONFIDENTIAL(
 Approved For Release 2003/08/11 :CIA-Rp,P80-O08o9A000500410043-6
2
CQNr'IDI:NTIALt
8.
25X1
25X1
25X1
Administration of Medical Schools azid Sources of, binds:{il The universities of
YugoslaVia'are under the dixxection of the Ministry of Science and Culture,
but-the' medical schools are under the Ministry of Public Bealth and Social
Welfare. lit was the Public' F(eal'th. section of the
Ministry which held: e responsibility for the medical schools; while the
funds for the support of, the'medical students themselves came from the
Social Welfare section of the"Ministry.
0
9. The medical school at* the University of Sarajevo receive's', 180 million dinars
per year'.-(about US$600,000).1, This is more money than the other parts of" the
University receive. The medical school is better off than'~the other faculties.
This 180 million dinars, is used, among other things, four he. payment of teaching
staff salaries, for all equipment, but not for the buildings nor for the non-
teaching staff. The'money,for the students' tuS,tioi and other expenses does
not come out of this 180 million. dinars either. The. Ministry' of Health makes
Its grant to' the medical school; what is done with the money is up to,the
faculty. They are the deciding body. The full, associate''and assistant
professors, together with the, dean, who has a little more, voice than the other
professors, make up the budget. The. position of dean 'is 'zotated every year
or every second year. With the office of dean goes a crand chauffeur. The
funds provided for the Sarajevo 'medical school are typ' 'gal' except the.t
Belgrade' and 'Zagreb', having more' students and a' consequent need for more
f4cilitiesand staff, 'receive; proportionately more mone'.
10. There is a shortage of residents and of assistant doctoT'sat,the universities
25X1
11. There are no separate departments of biochemistry at thelmedical schools in
Yugoslavia. At the University of Sarajevo Medical School the Physiology
Department is the'largest, which may be explained by the'f'act that the first
dean of the school'was also head of that department.
Medical Faculty Members and Their Research Work and Facilities
12. Pharmacologists:
a. 111 jj Dimitrievid, University of Belgrade. He has not, been
25X1
25X1
25X1.
25X1
25X1
active cince he became head of the Department of Pharmacology.
He knows the literature fair 'well, He was trained in the
7:n'bool of Flury (Germany). F
d: tlatko_Su ek , University 'of Zagreb, is Ivaildevid's' assistant.
He has 1sluing as a toxicologist
He .. and that digitalis increases oo coagulation , and 4 .LSO
(,J.acovered a &iuretic substance in liver.
b. in:Na Bogdanoyi6, University of Belgrade.,'Ass.ociate Processor.
Ite Is very acts sto and works ' on vitamins; 'he found txiat Vitamin E
increases the e86 prc?t -.lion ,of chickens.
c. ,l'vo, Ivandevid, University of Zagreb, Chairman of the Department
of Pharmacology. e was
cooperation with?an'ex6ellent pathologist,
he found that rutbin flavon-derivative) prevents toxicity of Vitamin Pp
(Archive I turnationale de Phaxanacod amie, 1951 0111952).
C0IIFIDENTIALI
 pproved For Release 2003/08/11 : C P80-00809A000500410Q43
51
cONI'ILUINTIAZ
e. Pavao Stern, University of Sarajevo, is Chairman of the
Department of Pharmacology and also Deiin of the Medical
schoolfor'the academic year 1953-5. He was a pupil of Pick'
(in Vi, nas). His research work is primaril'yon diami-Le
ax9.daaa"I autihietaminics '(mecha=tsm of.action) and also on
25X1
25X1
g~~ tt+~; Qinaokorai o Univ?rsity of Skoplje, Department' o f 'P2iar ia-
cology~; e s a. acedonian and was a pupil of Heymazis
He workoalong the linos 'of his former, tteacher on regula ion of blQbd
25X1 pressure by sino-aortic en lion. His abor&b6ry 12 as only ~ a few
faoili~ ee
25X1
U. University of Belgradb, College of Veterinary,
ie a.i 1(D. Be, is a good man. ~ 8e workce on histamine
assistants and several voluntary helpers.
f. 1eter Lende, University of Ljubljana, 4Cbairman of, t'he Department
of Pha~ 3acologyy. He was a pupil of Pavao Stern., ari& in t}xe
past worked on diemine oxidase of the arat 'uterus. He is' currently'
testing Digitalis preparations with'the pigeon'heart methoa?. 'His
labore'?bry is ,very poorly' equipped.
a? Milutiaiftdkovid', Uxiiveraity of Belgrade. Hin
fic1Q, i7oom~arativo physiology.
ai^80) A a a Miverdity' of Belgrade. Ho io actually ozi the
Phil.oeop oat Faoulty (which is the eeno as Liberal Art's),
but he 6.r-k., on thereto regulation or an nals.' He was the first
k,-,:raqa ;61 cool animals auoo!sesfully,. HA, publishes in French scientific
o"er-:_r,,i.~.l Fie is a great moron. ' '
and allergy; h., has done work on tha,mode of aotioa of, cortisone
(e tee on permeability on erythrocytes).
. r N A11 a etti, University' of 'Z greb, 'Qb i mac 'of the Department of
Physic ogy. Be is.a VAr7 79=9 ma4; he is:a iuly a pa thophysiologiet;
he'wor i on musala oont aoti, n an& also on e.soorbio acid and. the
25X1 inaulaz^','*P=atus of .aa ai'xga8., The *evxoue 'ohaltman of the
25X1
department was an old. man who was fired.
a. A'V.8 Qv j ev,, Uni~vvexsity of S@XA QVo . !o 'morly studied at the
,%lears y of, Iowa. ' Ho is working with tad .oeiot~ve sotoods
(phosphorus), on tale physiology' of' the lung (reaation 'oi' the
lung valomotors) . Equipment for, radioactive work is fair and
not tpo dif f'eteut from' that found in maxiy sizeable US universities.
25X1
25X1
CONFI 'T"
 Approved For Release 2003/08/11: I~ DP80-00809A000500410043-6
25X1
f. , uu`djZ ui~td, University of ;,yubl~ana, l~xanl~,ent patho-
physiologia He wme trained by, or in the school of,
Taltauf (Vienna)-. He, worho on the autonomous ner Quo
system and has clods.a paper on cholinesterase as the
receptor for acetyleholin.:.
gMi](ivojeVidmltovic, Univerait of 81co 1 e Chairman of the
25X works on the aio of the duodenm, 1
25Xj
?Bioohemiete
Although uono of the uni mraitiea ? has a epa-ois . department +,o oQyer this
field, they do have faoulty members who lecture on the subjoaot e3'-d engage
in rel.rated. research.
.a. Pgvlo Tryinac, Uhivoraity of Bolgrode,- C,DoparUment of Qhenistzyf,
Given e0 ores in biochemistry for,mgdiQal students,
b. A Ratak, University of Zngreb, Vato .ery.Faculty, Institute
of 0 istry. Igo is the beat oncymologi?t.a,o,Yugoe~,alY~a,,
althh~uo the fiaa .4 is not very e4Ya and in aux. qv=try exd
nee6,s some help) it still he.o a long Way to go. Ft09e1C earns
good, mopeZ,,3`rom z textbook on biochemistry which he wrote,
C+xrxent17, he to working on oholinouterave, the role of CO2
aegirnilatiQn, thermal wmtsr4, sand the btatory of medWina,
bare, Bvtbenovid, also at the University of Zagreb, Doyartmmnt
Qf. Cheiu"Lo`" " ..He gives lectures in biocIzamietry fQr-medical
students.
Ljubljaxxat ?au6 siza4:6Arly, ha'e faculty mombera who 3,e4we on
bi.ook~emxstry.
PlateL utclus - eaa h and Pxoduatiou
15. The P11va< Comeuy (.Zormaray Castel)
Bulto= ai des
Cardiaasol
. PitaAtiu 0 ..
in Zagreb yrQd,4oos the Lollop I
Faludrin (culti.rrualaria~ )
Barbituxates, Lumixial, Nembutal, Uhei,pan
v+nd similar Qompouxxd~a
Local anaesthetics, F.ntoc4tn
Insulin (uoli~auit'lacn)
Other hormones; Acs, Pituitrin, P.tthortuon
Yugoslavia is one of the 1argeat producers of a lta.loids, with pertieular
reference to morphine, of whi.oh Yugoslavia produces..thee greatest e oust
in all of gurcpe. Morphine 1s.produved by a +irm in.Skoplje,? The basis
for the 4: i?tI?etio pizaxamace tidal industry was provided only l eQ9ntly
by the introduction of coaltax production (Bolts).
25X1
he
CQNTIMTIAI,
 Approved For Release 2003/08/11 A_ - DP80-00809A000500410043-6
2 X1 25X1
coi.FTDENTTALI
16.
25X1
25X1
25X1
25X1
17.
25X1
Some, penicillin is made in Yugos..avia, but most of it is imported from Germany.
Penicillin is the onl antibiotic make, and have not developed
any new antibiotics. cannot afford research on aarge enough scale
to make it worthwhile. Dr.Pavao Stern at;arajavo has been studying the
pharmacologice.l.?behavior of. penicillin, but for research leading to the
development of new antibiotics, are relying entirely on the outside
world;
As for work on blood and blood substituted, in the first place
nothing similar to the US method of fractionation
25X1 u Bloch is in charge of the determination of b groups and plasma
supplies in Belgrade The q~.~estion is,
25X1 how to get aritifiicia rep cemen sus ances ich remain in circulation
25X1 and keep water back 'and. prevent shook. The Problem is to. get large enough
molecules to keep the, circulation going. tried Pe'riston, a. (}airman
I2 5X1 subatQ.nce, but it ras too toxic. however,
2 5X1 would use Periston again. In Yugoslavia the military physicians are
s udyiAg'this question, but thsy have not yet found anything better.,
end
856.o11i
857.37
857.21
857 Q5
857.388
$57.351
712.6.
712.36
645.1
25X1
8oM
80M
8oM
8GM
8oM
8oM
8oM
8oM
8OM
CGNFTDEI'?TTA