Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 218-221. (Budapest, 2012)
KÖZLEMÉNYEK - Gosztonyi György: Környey István (1901-1988)
124 Comm. Jc Hist. Artis Med. 218—221 (2012) warded to Marion Smith the standpoint of the Hungarian authorities for external affairs, according to which in the granting of visas they do not treat persons of various nationalities differently. However, in the interpretation of this standpoint misunderstandings arose, which became further sources of worries. Finally, by clearing some misunderstandings they succeeded in averting the suspicion of discrimination and eliminating the danger of failure of the Congress. The sole Israeli neuropathologist intending to participate arrived successfully in Budapest and attended the Congress. Following the elimination of the visa problem the Congress took place undisturbed in the solemn milieu of the central building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and achieved the appreciation of the participants. The organizers of the International Congresses of Neuropathology always published the full texts of the lectures in the form of Proceedings-volumes. The fast increase in the volume of the scientific material of the Congresses made it soon questionable, whether this tradition could be sustainable in the future as well. Kömyey was aware of these circumstances, however, he did not want to take the role upon himself to break with this tradition. The collection of the manuscripts was successful and one year later the last Proceedings of the International Congresses of Neuropathology was published in two volumes, edited by the Publishing House of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Excerpta Medica.23 The cover design is the work of the painter Ferenc Martyn, an old friend of Kömyey. Környey retained his creative activity also in the years after the Congress. From among his publications excel the pathography of István Széchenyi24 and the analysis of the influence of the aphasia of Béni Ferenczy on his behaviour and artistic activity.25 He wrote in English the History of Neurological Sciences in Hungary.2'’ The result of several years’ work was the first Hungarian Textbook of Neuropathology, produced under his editorship. Of the 27 chapters of the book 17 are his work, and 10 chapters those of his co-workers.27 The success of the book is increased by the fact that he himself and his co-workers contributed creatively to the subjects of numerous chapters of neuropathology. The concise formulation of the essence of the pathological processes and the objective survey of still open questions is exemplary, decisive. Környey died at the age of 87 years, a couple of months after the appearance of the book, on July 20, 1988. The neurological and neuropathological activity of Környey, spanning over six decades, clustered around three main topics. The first one was the study of the neurological symptomatology and that of the interrelationships between neuroanatomical structures and clinical manifestations.28 Particularly outstanding are his assessments relating the topical diagnostics of the brain stem. He brilliantly analysed the functional aspects and the topog23 Környey St., Tariska St., Gosztonyi G.: Vllth International Congress of Neuropathology, Budapest, 1974, Proceedings. Vol. I. pp 690, Vol. II. pp 790. Excerpta Medica, Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1975. 24 Környey I.: Széchenyi István lclkialkata és elmebetegsége (The spiritual constitution and mental illness of István Széchenyi). Comm, de llist. Artis Med. 102-104: 9-43. (1983) 25 Környey E.: Aphasie ct creation artistique. L’Encéphale III. 71-85 (1977) 2<1 Kömyey St.: History of Neurological Sciences in Hungaiy. Ed.: Hungarian Neurosurgical Society, Pécs, 1976. 64. 27 Környey, I. (cd.): Neuropathologia. Budapest, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1987. 417. 28 Szirmai I, Gosztonyi G.: Concepts oflocalization of neurological functions in István Környcy’s oeuvre. Comm, de Hist. Artis Med. 198-199: 5-14. (2007)
