[History of the Otorhinolaryngology Service in Subotica]

This paper is an account of the history and development of otolaryngological medical service in Subotica from 1906 to 1996, with three distinctive periods: work on an outpatient basis, inpatient care within the Jewish hospital, and the separate Otolaryngology Ward. The paper presents accommodation capacities, localisation of the Otolaryngology Ward, professional work of the Service over the ninety-year period, and short biographies of doctors. The specialist otolaryngological service has existed in Subotica since June 1, 1906. The first otolaryngologist in Subotica, Dr. Bela Török (7), was born in Sopron on May 26, 1878. He specialized in otolaryngology and internal medicine in 1906. From June 1, 1906 to March 30, 1907 he held a private specialist practice in Subotica. He worked at the District Office as a specialist in otolaryngology and internal diseases from June 1, 1907 to November 20, 1923, when he became the first administrator of the Jewish hospital, remaining on this post until his death, on July 19, 1937. Dr. Borivoj Miladinović, Dr. Pal Abelsberg and Dr. Istvan Stein came to Subotica in 1920's, so that otolaryngological medical practice was held in four private offices and the Jewish hospital "Milosrdje" (Charity), until 1939. The present Otolaryngology Ward was founded on December 1, 1939, at the Municipal Public Hospital. The Ward's founder, Professor Ante Sokcić, M.D., was born in Subotica on January 15, 1911 (18). He passed his specialty exams in Zagreb on November 16, 1939, and returned to Subotica, opening the Otolarynogology Ward at the Municipal Public Hospital. He practised actively in Subotica for 28 months, performing 916 surgeries within this period. He died on December 3, 1980. Dr. Lajco Kovac, Dr. Slobodan Milekić and Dr. Stevan Zomborcević started their specializations in 1950, and Dr. Jeno Gubas in 1968. The Ward was located in the building of the Surgery Pavilion and had 12 beds. During the war it was transferred to the Ophthalmology Ward; in 1952 it was moved to the ground floor of the right wing of the Surgery Pavilion and assigned 42 beds, and since 1971 it has been in the new hospital building. The present Ward has 30 beds and is located in the right wing of the 6th floor. The Internal Organisation Statute dated June 28, 1993 divides the Ward into the following units: Paediatric Otolaryngology, Microsurgery with Surgery block and Semi-intensive Care unit, Maxillofacial Surgery, Audiology Cabinet and Outpatient units. All the documents of the private specialist offices, Vidaković's and Heisler's Sanatorium, and the Jewish hospital "Milosrdje" were destroyed during World War II. The written data remained in the Ward's surgery protocols since December 1, 1939. They show that Dr. Ante Sokcić performed radical trepanation of temporal bones, laryngofissure, collar mediastintomia, atticoantrotomy, bronchoscopy, oesophagoscopy, and all other routine surgeries. Endoscopical surgeries have been performed since 1924 when head Doctor Pal Abelsberg brought the required instruments from Vienna. The first tissue sample was sent for histopathological examination on February 14, 1949. Direct laringoscopies using Hasslinger laryngoscope have been performed since 1950, plastic surgeries of palatoschises since June 25, 1961, and plastic reconstructive surgeries of article deformities since December 14, 1961. In 1962 the staff started to perform endaural atticoantrotomy and plastic surgery of the deformities of pyramis nasi. The first Wulstein tympanoplasty was performed on November 21, 1963, and the first surgery in general anaesthesia on February 19, 1966. Laryngoscopies have been performed since February 4, 1976, and aeration tubes inserted since June 17, 1984. We have actively and continuously been performing diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with impaired hearing. The Hospital's Oncology Council was founded in 1966, and this is when the cooperative diagnostics and treatment of pa