J. Antall szerk.: Medical history in Hungary 1972. Presented to the XXIII. International Congress of the History of Medicine / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 6. (Budapest, 1972)

V. R. Harkó and T. Vida : British Contacts of the Hungarian István Weszprémi, M. D. (1723—1799)

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2 Medical History in Hungary 1972 (Comm. Hist. Artis Med. Suppl

. 6.) after the bursting of their plague-spots, so that they would be spared all fear. In this way they could rush boldly to help others in need, that is, if we suppose that all those who contract the plague through inoculation with its substance, get over it more easily. But then, as we said, this is nothing but pensive thoughts which, however, do not lack probability." (Op. cit. p. 39.) "I, thank God, have never had any direct experience with the plague and so I do not wish to indulge in further meditations which might only provide the opportunity for others to say of me that I am sticking my nose into something I know theoretically but of which I have no practical understanding

..." (Op. cit. p. 40) Abraham Vater (1684—1751), the man who raised the above thoughts, was a professor of anatomy and botany in Wittenberg, Germany, and had visited the universities of Germany, Holland and England during his studies. Probably he became interested in the investigation of ways to combat epidemics of the smallpox and the plague already during his trip in England. Apart from the above work, he published a translation of Benjamin Colman's book, originally written in English, about the results of inoculations in New England. The work we quoted from probably did not come to Weszprémi's attention because, if it had, he would have mentioned it. The cause of inoculations slipped from interest between 1726 and 1746, and according to our research, Vater's book was published earlier, without eliciting adequate response. Nonetheless Weszprémi's insight into the possibilities of protection against the plague by inoculations remains even so a considerable feat, for he strove to ground his supposition scientifically, which Vater did not attempt to do. The medical historians of the 20th century

—the Hungarian Tibor Győry, Gyula Magyary-Kossa, and the German M. Neuburger, Strieker, and Kolle and Wassermann

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—reviewed Weszprémi's importance in the development of active immunisation therapy against contagious diseases, and administered justice to his ideas, so saving them from sinking into oblivion. In conclusion it can be said of Weszprémi's Tentamen that is was the most significant work written during his stay in England. Contemporaneous critics received the work favourably (Monthly Review, July, 1755), but still his contribution did not get the attention it would have deserved. The reason for this may be sought in the fact that it appeared only in Latin and in a small number of copies at that (in this we have to contradict the allegations of some authors who speak of English and French versions

—which, in our opinion were at best reviews, for no copy in any other language has yet been found), and not even a full Hungarian translation was available. On the other hand, Weszprémi failed to support his hypothesis with successful experiments and with the development of the technique, nor did his work fall into the hands of those 1

5 Győry, Tibor (Orvosi Hetilap, 1909, Nos. 27-28); (Deutsche Med. Wochenschrift, 1909, No. 47); Magyary-Kossa, Gyula (Magyar orvosi emlékek — Hungarian Medical Reminiscences, Vol. IV, Budapest 1940, pp. 64—70); Neuburger, M. (Die Vorgeschichte d. antitoxischen Therapie d. akuten Infektionskrankheiten Stuttgart, 1901); Strieker (Die Pest, II, Giessen, 1910); KolleWassermann (Handbuch d. path. Mikroorganismen, 1904).