Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 55-56. (Budapest, 1970)

TANULMÁNYOK - Zoltán Imre: Semmelweis (angol nyelvű közlemény)

TANULMÁNYOK SEMMELWEIS* by IMRE ZOLTÁN /"~"\n the wall of the Budapest Medical School a portrait of Semmelweis can be seen with the simple caption: "Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis professor of obstetrics at our University from 1855 till 1865" This unassuming memorial plaque expresses our greatest pride. A few months ago our guest, a prominent representative of Austrian obstetrics delivered a lecture at the scientific session of the Society of Hungarian Obstetricians. In his opening speech the president said among others that Austrian and Hungarian medical science is linked to each other by the person of Semmelweis. There have been long disputes whether Semmelweis belongs to the Austrians or the Hungarians. The dispute is settled. He cannot be claimed by either of us, he belongs to all humanity. However we might be excused of being proud that it was Hungary who had given this great man to humanity and we, the Budapest Medical School, successor of the one time Medical Faculty of the University of Pest are honoured to think of Semmelweis as our former professor. Posterity has honoured Semmelweis with the epithet: "the Saviour of Mothers". He deserved this attribute by recognizing the essence and aetiology of puerperal fever—a ravaging disease of his time—and by showing the mode of its prevention. By pointing out the significance of surgical asepsis, the principle of non infection, by presenting us with the great idea of modern medical science, the idea of prevention, he forecast a revolutionary era of universal medical science. Though Semmelweis had found the full truth so unmistakably that even posterity with the armoury of new theories and practices could find nothing to contest it, he was unable to convince his contemporaries of his simple and clear ideas only because they were new. Alas, the way of new doctrines is always a hard one. It is historically proved that every new doctrine is stubbornly denied and in most cases by the dignified representatives of old theories. Podach, the recently deceased Semmelweis biographer said that "Semmelweis has expounded his theory so clearly, so logically, the discovery itself was so simple, * Memorial speach held at the opening session of the Semmelweis Anniversary Week on november I Oth, 19(i7. Detailed, see: Gy. Gortvay I. Zoltán : Semmelweis - His Life and Work. Bp. 1968. 287 p. - - Magyarul megjelent a Magyar orvosi iskola mesterei c. kötetben (Bp. 1969.)