Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 3. (Budapest, 1956)

J. BALOGH, M. D.: The hungarian traumatic surgery in the first part of the 19th century

THE HUNGARIAN TRAUMATIC SURGERY INTHE FIRST PART OF THE 19th CENTURY By J. BALOGH. M. D. (Budapest) nphe first traumatic surgery department was opened in Hungary in 1928, int the Uzsoki Street Hospital of the O. T. I. (National Institute for Social Security, the official organ of health insurance at that time), under the distinguished leadership of professor Hedri. A survey of the first five years' work of the department showed that the total expenditure (including cost of treatment, disability allowance and other subsidies) was far below the level of similar allotments distributed to and 'spent on traumatic cases treated at the general hospital wards and departments selected for comparison. The difference in favour of the special department was so great that it was decided to build a hospital (in the Fiumei Street) exclusively for traumatic cases. As it is known, the hospital was actually built up, under the expert guidance and direction of professor Hedri. In later studies of traumatic surgery, which I was conducting under the influence and distinguished leadership of professor Hedri I became more and more convinced that it would be worth while to search for and collect the data concerning the heroic age of traumatic surgery, exclusively in this country. Traumatic surgery is continuously in the focus of Interest today. This newly developed and productive branch of surgery is one of the central problems for the surgeon of our age. I have endeavoured to revive earlier written material concerning traumatic surgery, as it had been practiced in Hungary, with special reference to reports by the then contemporary medical