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

TANULMÁNYOK - Zoltán Imre: Semmelweis (angol nyelvű közlemény)

versity life. He became a member of the committee which under Prof. Balassa completed in 1861 a reform scheme for the training of medical students. Among others he proposed that obstetrics should be made compulsory for all studentst He was an active member of still another committee which for years had fough. in vain to introduce a satisfactory scheme for the centralization of all university clinics and hospitals. He worked on another committee appointed by the Conference of Hungarian Doctors and Nature Observers to study plans for the reform of public hygiene. It is impossible to give an account of all the details of his numerous activities which continued unceasingly on an ever increasing scale until his death. From 1802—64 was responsible for the Central Smallpox Vaccination Institute, He delivered weekly lectures entitled: "Theoretical and Practical Smallpox Vaccination". Between 1861—64 he was also responsible for the library of the medical faculty. Due to his university work the first printed catalogue of the library appeared in two volumes. Few people know that in 1857 he accepted the post of economic superintendent of the medical faculty. This task had never been a rewarding one, the least so under the meagre conditions of the university at that time. It stands to reason that Semmelweis did everything to decline this unpleasant function, referring first to economic difficulties and secondly to his many other duties. He repeatedly begged the University Council to be relieved of it. Nevertheless his request was turned down and he had to perform his post of economic director until his death. His manysided activities on the other hand were often cramped by the antagonistic atmosphere existing in the medical faculty. Until his death in 1854 Lajos Tognio, Professor of General Pathology and Pharmacology was dean of the faculty. In 1848 the revolutionary government dismissed him but after the fall of the War of Independence he occupied the post again. He was an enemy to all progressive efforts and personally disliked Balassa and progressive minded professors gathered around him. After the death of Tognio the two groups continued to disagree. In spite of this the faculty appreciated Semmelweis'

s work and approved unanimously and publicly his teachings. In 1862 Semmelweis sent his book to the highest educational forum in Hungary, the Presidential Council, begging them to make the prophylactic measures compulsory in all Hungarian hospitals. The Presidential Council sought the advice of the medical faculty. On a session held on 7th May 1862 the faculty gave the following opinion: "The book of Professor Semmelweis on puerperal fever is well known to the professors of this faculty, and it is equally known that Professor Semmelweis has definitely proved that certain infections materials are responsible for the causation of puerperal fever, and on the basis of logical evidence he has pointed out what prophylactic measures should be applied for prevention." The faculty has much pleasure in presenting its approval in the following: "The measures suggested by Professor Semmelweis must be observed in all hospitals, as well as in private practice, and the senior doctors are responsible for their observance by the midwivest".