A Study on Scabies in The Ottoman Empire with Regard to Archive Resources

Abstract

Scabies is a non-fatal contagious skin condition that can harm a person because of the itching it causes. Known to exist since ancient times, scabies was identified by Italian Pharmacist Giovanni Cosimo Bonomo in 1687. It is not known when the first-time scabies occurred in the Ottoman Empire. In this study, in the light of the Ottoman Archives of the Prime Ministry, scabies was in the Ottoman Empire. Research shows that the first record of scabies in the Ottoman Archive of the Prime Ministry was 1889. On the other hand, it is understood that the records on scabies disease are quite limited in the Ottoman Archive. The archive data shows that scabies is common, especially in Ottoman prisons. In addition to prisons, there are a few examples in the archive that indicate scabies exists in schools. In addition, these records indicate that scabies accelerated in World War I and spread in Anatolia after the aforementioned war.