[Medical manuscript of Mihail Plamenac, a priest]

It is known that collections of popular medical prescriptions and instructions appeared in areas without educated physicians, and all previously published manuscripts of this kind are inevitably anonymous. The reported manuscript comprises 23 pages written in sepia ink, appendixed to a prayer book published in 1747, containing popular medical instructions and prescriptions collected and practiced by orthodox priest Mihailo Plamenac in Montenegro at the turn of the 18th century. Mihailo Plamenac took an important part in historical events, as documented by numerous domestic historical data and several letters discovered in The Archives of Vienna. Being the only literate persons at the time, priests were both politicians and military officers, but they also offered medical services to the population. The manuscript comprises advices for various common emergencies (snake bites, urinary retention, contusions, fever, burns, eye injuries, rabies, otitis, traumatic wryneck) and diseases(impetigo, scabies, infertility, gastric ulcer, low back pain) as well as for certain poorly defined conditions (chest pain, abdominal discomfort). Besides medically fully adequate treatment, for example, the remedy against scabies containing sulfur, there are numerous examples of magic and ritual pagan elements, including famous medieval SATOR formula against rabies. Most of the herbs used in prescriptions have been identified: fig, dog rose, hyssop, leek, laurel, absinthe, rosemary, mallow, cypress, elder, endive, mangel, orache, ivy. The manuscript is the first manuscript undoubtedly attributed to a well known historical personality, as indicated in the first page of the manuscript: "This is a medical prayer book by Mihailo Plamenac, left to him by his ancestors."