Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 66-68. (Budapest, 1973)

FORUM - Semmelweis kórtörténetének nyomában — Bécs és Budapest levelezése (magyar, angol és német nyelven)

2. Letter of Dr. W. Podhajsky, head physician of the Psychiatric Hospital of the City Vienna to Dr. István Darvas medical historian Vienna, 26th June 1963. Dear Sir, In answer to your letter of the 13. 5, 1963 and your last urgent request the undersigned directorate informs you that on the basis of the law valid for Austria (hospital law of 7. 1, 1957 § 9 and § 10 and Statute-book for Vienna from 29. 1. 1928. § 12. 3. 4.) it is unfortunately not in the position to fulfil your wish and produce a copy of the case history of Prof. Dr. Semmelweis. It is also prohibited to publish details of the case history. Consequently you can only rely on the facts which have been cleared so far. I am yours very truly Prim. Dr. W. Podhajsky 3. The letter of Sandler, chief counsellor of the 17. Magistratsabteilung of the Council of the Town Vienna to Dr. István Darvas, medical historian Vienna 12th October 1963. Your recent application to the Lord Mayor has been furthered to Department 17 for competent arrangement. Nevertheless we have to inform you that the arguments advanced in the letter from 19. 7. 1963 exclude the presentation of the case history of Dr. Semmelweis. If physicians who are legally allowed to have a look at the case history publish extracts from it they do so on their own personal responsibility and they have to count with the actual legal consequences, but you cannot expext an office whose duty is to watch on the keeping of the law, to break these principles. The office is very sorry that it cannot stand at your disposal. Instead of the Abteilungsleiter Sandler Oberamtsrat