Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 218-221. (Budapest, 2012)
KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Gosztonyi György: Környey István (1901-1988)
122 Comm, de Hist. Artis Med. 218—221 (2012) In the 1960s an isotopic laboratory was established, in which human cerebral circulation studies were also performed. A further enrichment of the profile was achieved by the establishment of an experimental physiological laboratory. A group fonned around László Molnár, the later director of the Clinic of Neurology and Psychiatry at Debrecen, performed experimental neurophysiologic-circulation-physiologic studies: results were also published in a monograph.21 For compiling his manuscripts Kömyey asked for the help of his co-workers, but he performed the formulation and elaboration of the concept alone, and, accordingly, he nominated himself as the single author. It was a rare exception that he divided with one or two co-authors the elaboration and publication of one or two topics. Not infrequently he handed over the completed manuscript to one of his youngest and one of his oldest coworkers for reading and criticism, and he listened to their remarks with attention. He studied, corrected, controlled and condensed the submitted manuscripts of his coworkers, and upon arrival of the proofs he controlled their corrections. His young coworkers learned in the course of the correction procedures of their manuscripts, how to write a scientific paper. In spite of the considerable invested energy into the elaboration and correction of the manuscripts of his co-workers, despite the widely used practice, he never put down his name as a co-author. He was always frankly delighted by the success of a publication. He kept the collection of his own and of his co-workers’ reprints, bound them in volumes for his rich library in reminiscence of the Hirnpathologische Beiträge of Schaffer’s Institute. His professional interest was very widespread, he was particularly attracted by unusual phenomena. He followed with distinguished interest the borderline events between neurology and internal medicine. He contributed to the enrichment of numerous chapters of neurology and neuropathology in a creative way. Psychiatry did not belong to his primordial research interests, however, he followed the pathophysiologic questions of organic psychoses and disturbances of consciousness with distinguished attention. He wrote two precious pathographies on the mental disturbances of two prominent personalities. Co-workers with primary psychiatric interest could count on the support of their master. Irene Jakab built up a reliable practice in child psychiatry, and enriched and analysed the collection of artistic works of mental patients of the Clinic. Alajos Orthmayr was engaged in the study of endogenic psychoses. He had been supervisor of the care of mental patients in the Ministry of Health for years. Környey’s orientation in literature, history, music and fine arts was broad and his interest in works of fine arts was coupled with an extraordinary retaining memory. His wife remarked once in a joking way: "The problem with István is that he cannot forget anything”. He paid sincere respect to intellectual excellence and extraordinary achievements in social and friendly circles. István Környey retired after 25 years’ professorship following a respectful farewell banquet. In his departing speech he emphasised the maintenance of unity of our discipline, even if this is rendered more difficult by the explosive development of sub-disciplines. The maintenance of cooperative relationships and mutual consultations between the representa21 Molnár L.; Sur le contröle ncrveux dc la circulation sanguine regionale des centres cérébraux. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1967. 127.
