Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 218-221. (Budapest, 2012)
KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Gosztonyi György: Környey István (1901-1988)
G0SZT0NY1, Gy.: István Környey (1901-1988) 119 Clinic achieved international reputation, his pupils acquired respect and appreciation for the Környey School within Hungary and even beyond its borders. His activity coincided with the period when the name of the Medical University of Pécs, thanks to the eminent board of professors, became well known even abroad. The new staff of the Clinic consisted mainly of physicians of neurological and neurosurgical interest, who gathered around the new boss within a few months from Budapest, Szeged, Pécs and Transylvania. The neurosurgical activity started soon after his arrival. Operations were performed initially at the Clinic of General Surgery, later at the Surgical Division of the Hospital at Pécsbányatelep. In the meantime the build-up of the division of neurosurgery within the Clinic of Neurology and Psychiatry was also started. The development was completed at the beginning of the 50ies. Thus, in the token of the unity of clinical neurosciences, neurology, psychiatry and neurosurgery found home under the same roof. These three disciplines were completed and bound together by the development of the neuropathological laboratory, in service of the clinical and postmortal histological diagnostics. Upon his arrival, Környey moved into the spacious apartment of his predecessor, Professor Camillo Reuter on the ground floor of the Clinic. Part of the staff was also accommodated within the same building. This circumstance enabled quick and efficacious diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in acute events. For problematic cases Professor Környey was ready for consultation even at night, moreover, he even expected to be always informed. His neurosurgical activity was interrupted in the spring 1951 by an unexpected event. Due to a haemorrhage from a gastric ulcer he fell into a severe hypotensive shock. This crisis was overwhelmed by a quick surgical intervention and by repeated blood transfusions followed by a long-lasting reconvalescence. After his recovery he entrusted the burden of long-lasting neurosurgical interventions to his well-trained co-workers, F. Tibor Mérei, László Molnár and Rezső Scháb. Nevertheless, the indications for operations, the pre-, intra- and postoperative diagnostics remained permanently under his supervision. During his illness his old and close friend, Kálmán Sántha was excluded from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. This decision was politically motivated, based on fabricated pretences. The crucial session of the Medical Section of the Academy took place June 1, 1951. During the open part of the session only Géza Hetényi and János Szentágothai raised their word in defence of Sántha, and in the course of the closed session Imre Haynal and Ödön Kerpel-Fronius took stand against the exclusion. Finally, during the secret voting, based on 14 yes and 5 no votes the Medical Section of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences proposed the exclusion of Kálmán Sántha to the presidium of the Academy.13 Although Környey-having been a corresponding member of the Academy since 1947-could not participate in this crucial session due to his severe health condition, a few days later he turned to the president of the Academy, asking him in a letter to secure worthy conditions for Sántha to carry on his precious scientific and therapeutic activity, so that his talent and exceptional abilities remain further in the advantage of the country.14 13 Majcrszky K.: A Sántha-ügy. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó. 1997. 208. 14 Akadémiai Levéltár (Archives of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Registration Number 518/R-1951
