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

TANULMÁNYOK - Zoltán Imre: Semmelweis (angol nyelvű közlemény)

carried the hath tubs, the bed pans, empty and full, clean and dirty linen, steaming food and clattering crockery on trays." However it was not only the inadequacy of the arrangement that hampered Semmelweis in his work, but also the insufficiency of the equipment, the lack of instruments, unsuitable beds, shortage of linen, etc. It stands to reason that cleanliness, order, possible isolation that Semmelweis was so particular about, could hardly be realized under such circumstances. In spite of these difficulties Semmelweis achieved excellent result. In the academic year of 1855—5G the mortality rate of puerperal fever was 0,4% and in 1800—61 not one death due to puerperal fever occured. These results are a proof of Semmelweis'

s enthusiastic work against overwhelming odds. In addition to his clinical work he had to cope with a number of various activities. Each year he had 200 students out of which 150 were midwifery and 50 surgery students as obstetrics lectures were not compulsory for medical students. Besides the regular lectures he announced special ones on Gynaecology and Puerperal Fever. While prior to his professional appointment he had lived a retired life and had even restrained from publishing his results, with the beginning of clinical work he started a wide scientific-literary activity. In 1865—67 he delivered four minor lectures in the Medical Society and in 1858 in four successive sessions held his famous lecture entitled: "The Aetiology of Puerperal Fever". The carefully worded lecture was published in seven parts in the Medical Weekly. In the same Review he started publishing his articles on gynaecology. His last one: " Surgical Management of the Ovarian Cyst" appeared shortly before his death. The second part of the article which must have dealt with the actual description of the operation was never published. For many years Semmelweis gave public lectures on women's diseases. Beside him other professors also held free lectures, which enjoyed great popularity. We can in fact say that the idea of university extension courses had arisen and been realized in Pest as early es in 1858. Semmelweis played an active part in starting the "Medical Weekly" which first appeared in .1857. In these days of national oppression, the appearance of a medical journal in Hungarian was of immeasurable importance. Famous physicians, such as Balassa, Bókay, Eckstein, Hirschler, Kahn, Lumnitzer and Wagner joined Semmelweis in contributing to the Journal. From 1864 Semmelweis even edited a supplement entitled: "Gynaecology and Paediatry". He also worked on a handbook on obstetrics. The Medical Weekly referred several times to the book as being in progress. "Ignác Semmelweis, Professor of Obstetrics is busily engaged writing a handbook for experts, which will come out well produced, with numerous illustrations, in an edition which will rival the best of its kind published abroad, to the credit of Hungarian Medical literature." Unfortunately Semmelweis could not finish his work and the manuscript could not be traced. In addition to his clinical and scientific work he also played an active part in the life of the medical faculty. His activity extended to almost every field of uni-