Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 21-22. (Budapest, 1961)
Dr. Berndorfer Alfréd: A veleszületett rendellenesség pathogenesise történelmi szemléletben III.
SUMMARY The historical Aspect of the Pathogenesis of inborn Malformations Part III. Alfred Berndorfer, M. D. In the field of research concerning the pathogenesis of inborn malformations a decisive part is due to the development of embryology. The work of Caspar Friedrich Wolff signals a milestone in the theory of evolution. Having demolished, whit his proofs, the theory of preformation valid until then, he proved at the same time that malformations are not preformed; the pathological changes are due to a certain cause. Though Wolff did not deal with the question of malformations, his discoveries in the field of embryology influenced later research workers, and chiefly those who studied the problem of malformations. The first fundamental embryological work was written by the editor of Wolff's writings, Meckel, who also continued certain researches of the former. Embryology is much indebted to Blumenbach, and particularly to Baër who both dealt with the problem of malformations in the course of their researches. Meckel, Geoffroy St. Hilaire and Vrolik were the first to study the question of malformations thoroughly from the morphological as well from as the pathological view-point. The first half of the XIX th century brought forth many works bearing upon abnormal embryos, their life, pathology and maladies. Children's doctors found that there are many children's diseases wich originate in some ailment or lesion contracted in the embryonic stage. As in the course of time more and more children were given medical care, clinicians were bound to encounter abnormities more frequently. The important medical discoveries of the XIX. century greatly influenced the studies bearing upon inborn malformations and their treatment. The first half of the XIX th . century paved the way for the researchers of the second half of the century and mainly for those of the XX th century. 23 Orvostört. közi. 353
