A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 50. (Nyíregyháza, 2008)

Helytörténet - Cservenyák László: Csonka Szatmár vármegye közegészségügyi állapota a XX. század elején

CSISZÁR 1975. A Mátészalkai Városi Kórház Jubileumi Évkönyve. Szerk. Csiszár Gusztáv. Szabolcs megyei Lapkiadó Vállalat, Mátészalka 1975. CSOMÁR 1968. Csomár Zoltán: Mátészalka. Mátészalkai Községi Tanács, Mátészalka 1968. FÁBIÁN 1939. Fábián Sándor: Szatmár, Ugocsa és Bereg k.e.e. vármegyék. Magyar városok és vármegyék monográfiája XXVIII. Magyar Városok Monográfiája Kiadóhivatala, Budapest 1939. CSERVENYÁK László Szatmári Múzeum Mátészalka H^1700 Kossuth utca 5. e-mail: szatmuz@keletnet.hu Situation of public health in Szatmár County at the beginning of the 20

th century After Historical Compromise of 1867 between Hungary and Austria, a period of an extremely rapid development, social and national migrations came. By the end of the 19

th century projects aiming the reconstruction of the landscape were mostly finished. These works demanded huge quantities of manpower that led to an intensive demographical growth. After the end of these projects the increased population remained without sources for living. This situation made a great number of people migrate to America. Social and financial situation of those remaining at home is reflected by the state of public health at the turn of the 19

th

—20

th centuries. From the point of view of reproduction the most important data are the natality and death rates. Number of deaths includes figures illustrating the amount of acute and chronic contagious diseases: tuberculosis, venereal diseases, and neonatal mortality. All these numbers show the social circumstances of a people. Population of Szatmár County was endangered mainly by the high rate of neonatal mortality, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, typhoid and malaria. The main reason of neonatal mortality was mainly the obscurantism of the rural population: ignorance caused by the lack of education, incorrect nutrition, bad habits, superstitions, and charlatans. Another factors were poverty and syphilis. Unfortunately both characterised exactly those families where plenty of children were born. The direction of improving projects by the authorities was clear: protection of mothers and babies should had been increased. A program for anti-venereal disease protection was started in 1934. The project was necessary because of the high number of syphilis and gonorrhoea in Szatmár County. The situation became especially dangerous because of the increasing secret prostitution in earlier rural Mátészalka, after it became the seat of the county and got more and more urbanised. Another important problem was the spread of tuberculosis in the county. Beside pathological and genetic factors, poor social situation also could provoke the spread of the disease. Fight against tuberculosis meant not only curing the illness, but also intensive social work. Malaria also belonged to significant illnesses spread in Szatmár. The first step in the battle against malaria should have been the canalisation of the whole county and together with it, the melioration of internal waters in villages.