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

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

and to be able to publish it in extenso. We would be pleased if our Austrian colleauges would participate in the publication of the case history. Our university is willing to send delegates to Vienna for this purpose for a short stay, the two medical historians of our University, Dr. med. et C. scient. Gy. Regöly-Mérei, Senior Research Fellow of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (teaching order of medicine history in our university) and Dr. med. et C. scient. E. Réti, scientific director of the Library of our University. As rector of the University and professor of midwifery I —similarly to both above mentioned colleagues of academic training—take all personal and medical responsibility for he publication of Semmelweis' case history. Semmelweis died more than hundred years ago. The obligation of official secrecy forced by law (Bundesgesetz 1956, § 9. etc.) may not extend on historical personalities or cases which are more than hundred years old, and which—as mentioned above—are published everywhere. § 12 (5) etc. renders also possibility to hand over scientifically justified cases. The rector and Senate of our University is deeply convinced that the honoured Lord Mayor has the same view and will grant our humble appeal. Expressing our thanks and respect of the Lord Mayor we are yours very truly Dr. med. et Dr. scient. Imre Zoltán prof. of obstetrics Rector of the Medical University of Budapest 5. The letter of Dr. Steiner, chief counsellor of the Town Council of Vienna to Prof. Dr. Zoltán Imre, Rector of the Medical University in Budapest Vienna, 29th January 1968. Dear Sir, In answering your letter of 9th December 1967 addressed to the Lord Mayor, the Board of Directors is sorry to inform you that they cannot comply with your request, after a basic study of the facts and legal side of the question. First of all let me refer to the fact that the Board of Directors has to support the legal position expressed by Magistratsabteilung 17 to Dr. István Darvas. In accordance with the Austrian law concerning physicians, secrecy extends beyond the death of the patient. According to the valid text of the medical laws there are no restrictions in time referring to the defence of the deceased and his successors and the latter—according to § 10 (1) are considered as "endangered persons". But even if we arrived at a different legal judgement of the question, the Town of Vienna would not actually be in the position to place the required case history at your disposal. The documents cannot be found in the archives of the Psychiatric Hospital in the Baumgartner Höhe any more. The research in the Medical Historical Institute of the University proved also unsuccessful.