1987. október (112-124. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2
fi -CíHjIÍWÁRIÁM í^) llíStfm^T^ @™i 24/0 ti Ml* Rw»*«ll Street, LONDONI, W- Cl Ttl.H-HO t< u ■ G. k ra**é 116/198? (E) lOth October, 1987 Scientific honour of psychiatrist Dr László Luka in Switzerland The Swiss Psychiatric Society conducted this year fór the first time a compe- tition fór preparing scientific studies. The first prize of the competition conducted under the title "Prophylaxis in the field of psychiatry and psychotherapy" was awarded the Swiss psychiatrist Dr László Luka emigrated from Hungary in 1956 fór his work entitled "The prophylaxy of bulimia nervosa". "Bulimia nervosa", a severe disease of the end of the XXth century, is spreading at a terrifying rate and can already be detected at 18-25% of schoolchildren. The 55 years old Dr László Luka was sentenced in Hungary in 1953 as a third- year medical student fór seven and a half year imprisonment under the charge of conspiration. He was set free by the revolution and after the Soviet intervention he escaped to Switzerland. There he finished his university studies, became a psychiatrist, wrote numerous scientific studies and he is alsó a professor at the Californian State University. He is the chief organizer of the Hungárián Academic Days in Geneva already arranged several times and he is alsó the chairman of the executive committee of the Swiss foundation fór supporting Hungárián culture. The honorary diploma and the prize of 2500 Swiss francs were handed over to Dr László Luka at the annual generál meeting of the Swiss Psychiatric Society on the 24th of September. He offered part of the prize to Dr Anatoliy Koryagin, a Russian psychiatrist, who fought fór humán rights fór years, has been im prisoned in the USSR and recently given political asylum in Switzerland, and the remainder to a Hungárián histórián of literature preparing fór a study-tour in Switzerland. On taking over the prize Dr Luka said the following: Mr Chairmani Honoured Colleaguesi I owe You a confession. Here and now I draw benefit from a revolution fór the second time. This happened to me fór the first time in 1956, when I could get from the political compound of the Budapest Gyüjtőfogház prison straight to Zürich and with the generous support of the Swiss citizens I was able to finish my university studies. I am indebted forever fór this help. And now again. At Christmas, hardly nine months ago, I wanted to spend the holidays with my family in India. However, on the day of our arrival to Goa, a revolution broke out, the one-time Portoguese colony revolted against Indián rule. Our hotel was surrounded by soldiers, who guarded it fór two weeks. Since we were nőt allowed to move out, I wrote the study hoaoured here. l The revolutions are benevolent to me and therefore I am indebted to the ill-fated. I refer to our colleague, who made an invaluable contribution to medical ethics by trying to clear psychiatry of politics, so that no political power could abuse psychiatry. It is a courageous deed in a dictator- ship to oppose the authorities single-handedly in the defence of the morality of the medical profession. I think therefore that it is proper to express my high esteem to the honorary member of the International Psychiatric Society, our colleague Dr Anatoliy Koryagin, who was granted political asylum in Zürich a few months ago to- gether with his family, after they have been banished from the USSR. He
