Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 46-47. (Budapest, 1968)
In memoriam I. Ph. Semmelweis (Farkas Károly)
It was three years ago, in 196-5, that the whole world commemorated the looth anniversary of Semmelweis' s death. The celebrations were marked, among others, by the completion of the restoration of the Semmelweis-birthplace and the first steps towards setting up a museum there, by the reinterment of his mortal remains at the House and the unveiling of a statue made by Miklós Borsos symbolizing maternity, and by a "sample" exhibition from the collection of the Medical Historical Library and the Museum. The program was befittingly complemented by a series of lectures under the auspices of the Medical Historical Society which put the main item of the program, the question of iatrogenic damages into the limelight of medical history. The transformation of Semmelweis's birthplace into the Medical Historical Museum, the placing of the symbol of maternity beside the ashes of Semmelweis, and the subject of the lectures "Possible Damages Caused by Healing" express the essence of the ideas connected with Semmelweis better than anything else. The objects displayed at the museum named after Semmelweis present the history of medication in the perspective of several thousand years, in which Semmelweis's discovery of the origin of puerperal fever has an important place. Among the many praising epithets attributed to Semmelweis the most beautiful and most expressive one is "the Saviour of Mothers" beacause it marks the saving of millions ; perhaps scientifically not the greatest, but one of the noblest gifts of medical science to mankind. The statue of maternity stands in front of the stone wall, preserving Semmelweis's ashes, as if it kept guard over his eternal dream. Who could guard his dream better than the mother and her child, for whom he has done such a great service. The raised hand of the tall female figure does not bids all passers-by stop before the monument. The lectures were concerned with the damages concomitant to medication, sometimes referred to as the noblest profession. The rejoicing of doctor and patient over recovery is often dearly paid by both! The appalling validity of this statement had not been recognized before Semmelweis in the very activity of the obstetrician who, while helping the mother to give birth, involves her and her child in deadly danger ! The shock of the discovery was surpassed only by the passion with which Semmelweis preached the newly found truth and the solution. There is no physician who has achieved more simpler methods than Semmelweis by the introduction of handwash. This must exhort us!
