According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, traditional, folk medicine covers ways in which different cultures preserve and improve health and treat the diseases of its members. The World Health Organization's recommendation is to use all proven medical experiences and methods of different civilizations, not just the official Wester medicine, to preserve health and well being. Objectives: The aim was to collect as much information as possible about the way and means for maintaining hygiene in everyday life, and the medicinal preparations used for skin care and treatment during the first half of the 20th century in Eastern Croatia (Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srijem). The secondary goal was to determine the possible rational action of folk formulations and procedures - an attempt to rationalize the purpose of reviving them in contemporary folk medicine. Study Design: The research consisted of bibliographic and field research. Participants and methods: Bibliographic research included books and publications intended for educating the public. Field research has been carried out using qualitative ethnological methods. The results of the semi-structured interview of the selected 27 interviewees and two group discussions (one with 18 inhabitants of Ilok and the other with 4 residents of Petrijevci) are presented. Results: It is important to note that this paper is not the result of research done by an anthropologist, nor a historian, but a physician practitioner's, using some of the anthropological methods. A slight modification of the methods and results presentation was necessary because the topic of this research could not be presented in the usual biomedical way. On the other hand, the historical and anthropological elements of the research were the framework and support for obtaining specific information on medicinal remedies or products for hygiene maintenance. Conclusion: This paper provides insight into the health education and awareness of the people in the first half of the 20th century. It describes hygiene standards and the most commonly used substances in folk medine of that time, with an emphasis external application.