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

TANULMÁNYOK - Székely Sándor: Az 1876-os közegészségügyi törvény előkészítéséről (angol nyelven)

epidemic regulations valid at the time, and the authorities may in the case of such emergencies exert a claim over all physicians. Article 82 makes it the duty of all artisans, tradesmen, manufacturers and of mine-owners that if an infectious or epidemic disease breaks out among their employees, they must provide for immediate medical aid without waiting for official action. Paragraph 93 provides that smallpox vaccinations or re-inoculations must be given in every community annually. Part II of the law, "Public Health Service" also goes farther than the present interpretation of public health, in fact it determines the organization of health services with due attention to the requirements of health protection. The fundamental measures must be taken by the villages (communities), whereas the community physicians have to provide basic medical care. Each village with a population of 6000 or above has to employ a community physician (through competitive application), and, from the smaller villages, districts have to be organized, each to consist of about six to ten thousand people and with a district physician to see to the needs of the population. In regard to the duties of the physician it is worth quoting Paragraph 145 : "The community and district physician is in charge of the local public health, medical administrative (police) and forensic medical affairs of his community (village) or district, and under the following terms: 1. He treats the poor of the village or of the cooperating or united communities free, and the propertied according to the agreement on fees concluded in advance with the community; 2. in his capacity as public health and medical officer he exercises surveillance over the foundlings and foster children, and also over the mental patients, defectives, deaf and dumb, and cripples under community care; 3. unless he is bound to administer smallpox vaccinations free of charge, he performs inoculations of this kind for the nationally valid fee; 4. he is in charge of inquests and post-mortems unless there is a separate coroner, performing such duties free of charge for the poor, and for a fixed fee for the propertied; 5. following with close attention the trends and changes in the health of the village or villages, he works out proposals to avert detrimental effects; 6. he performs examinations and other responsibilities which are his duty as medical police officer, free of charge, the forensic medicinal tasks on the summons of the competent court for a fixed fee; 7. he cooperates in life-saving and emergency actions; 8. he proceeds in all cases which are his responsibility according to any article of regulation; 9. he submits quarterly health reports, and he supplies immediate information to the competent authorities on all public health business that arises and on all medical-police or forensic medical examinations; 10. In purely professional matters he consults directly with the District Physician." The same chapter treats the village midwives, stipulating that communities with 1,500 inhabitants or more are obliged to employ a midwife.