Technikatörténeti szemle 22. (1996)
Papers from the Second International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Eger, Hungary, 16–19 August, 1995) - Palló, Gábor: Early Research on Radioactivity in Hungary
radioactivity, but had no contact with the Budapest Radium Station. By that time, however, the third Institute of Chemistry had been established and the head appreciated Hevesy's work very much. Hevesy was habilitated to "privat Dozent" in the Budapest University, and became professor in 1918. Though he was purged from this university after the extreme right took over, he did some very important investigations at the Budapest Veterinary School. 10 Here he had a gifted student, who also left the country for Vienna. Elisabeth Rona became successful there and later in the United States as a researcher in Oak Ridge. 11 Concluding remarks All this might show that the Hungarian scientific community had specific features in regards to the reception of radioactivity. It was open enough to get interested in the new field; at the same time, it was classicist enough to refuse the subversive new ideas. Although this had some advantage, in final analysis, this lack of boldness proved to be disadvantageous. Though a very specific solution has been found for the institutionalization of the field, the traditional views on research and on research strategy could successfully work for the local market only. The Radium Station has never achieved any international reputation. Neither Szilard nor Hevesy had any contact with the Radium Station, which is a remarkable fact, considering the small size of the scientific community. They found an even more unorthodox institutional position for themselves. Szilard in an agrarian department at the Technical University of Budapest, Hevesy the third Institute of Chemistry, later the Veterinary School. This way, the Hungarian scientific community obtained some very significant results in the field of radioactivity, but these did not hide beneath the surface. There you could find a medium level, typically peripheral, provincial scientific community with a fresh mind, but not much results of international significance.
