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)
L. Várađi: The Social Position of Physicians in Hungary at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries
L. Várađi: The Social Position of Physicians in Hungary 223 and even the subsequent orders, as. eg. the Act 1870 XLVII preserved the old feudal apparatus of the county; the office of the elected sub-prefect and district administrations but at the same time the influence of the government, i.e. the minister of Inner Affairs and the prefect appointed by him was extended. Though later on the interference of the centrum and its right of inspection was further increased (Act 1876. VI.), the power of the leaders of the county over public life survived and administration was in the hands of this domineering, tyrannical rotten circle. In this world, in the meshes of financial and social title-hunting, the physician's personality could not assert itself. Their social position was determined by two basic factors : their actual role in the machinery of public administration, the formal side of which was guaranteld, 1 6 and their financial position, which, however, could not be considerably meliorated. Among the factors determining the development of social and economical position of Hungarian physicians, special attention should be paid to their financial situation which —even if one-sided —was a true reflection of their role in contemporary social life at the turn of the century. As to the source of income of physicians, the above mentioned two types of practice should be taken into consideration: income drawn from private practice and salary paid for official health treatment. As regards financial means and the amount of fees, there must have been conspicuous differences between a clinician and a physician kept by a village or even by a town. These differences, however, imply further discriminations referring to the already existing stratification within the medical order. In our investigation we cannot pay more attention to these question since we are primarily interested in the survey of the general features. As regards administration, and cultural level, the settlements of Hungary can be devided into three categories: Budapest, the capital, country towns and villages. A contemporary survey informs us about the position of physicians working in country towns and villages. 1 7 In view of it we can compare the way of life of those working under these two different circumstances. Unfortunately, the survey mentioned above doesn't contain data about the social position of doctors living in the capital since the question papers sent out were not completed and returned. 1 8 As a matter of fact, the possibility of differentiation was by all means the greatest in the capital, but as to its extent, characteristics and structure a definite evaluation has to be waited for. In view of the 130 answers lf i See above: Note 14. 1 7 Országos Orvos-Szövetség, op. cit. 1 8 The first measures taken by the Hungarian National Association of Physicians founded in 1897 was to survey the financial and social position of the physicians working in the country. Those concerned about medical history and sociology of medicine are in the lucky situation to be able to form an almost complete picture referring to the financial circumstances of the doctors in possession of these data.
