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 Phys ician s in Hungary 225 Free Quarters 20% 15% Own House Rent: The majority paid 200—000 Crowns Less than 200 Crowns ....... 8% Between 200—400 Crowns Between 400—600 Crowns Between 600—1000 Crowns More than 1000 Crowns .. 30% 17.5% 7% 1% 22% was compelled to run a carriage at the costs of 800— 1000 crowns, and the allowance for traffic was not enough; an extra payment was needed in every case. Despite the less favourable circumstances only 11% of the provincial doctors was unmarried in contrast to those living in towns. The rate of childlessness was however the same (30%). The number of children in the families was higher, it amounted sometimes to 12. The hard means of subsistence was due to the corrupt county administration. On national scole, the salary of physicians granted by the leading authorities of the counties was less than 1200 crowns; often only 200 — 400 crowns. If we add the unrepaid traffic costs the granted subsidy of which was originally low anyway, it becomes clear that doctors had grave financial difficulties. Only 9% of the doctors received a fee of 1 crown for visits —which was not a large sum either —and the majority was paid even less. 15% of the doctors drew leas than 40 fillers as consulting fee. The statistical data might be completed by the evidence of biographical details, chosen at random, even it they cannot be considered as uniform: A physician, aged 30, father of 3 children takes up postmastership in order to complete his salary of 300 crowns. In an opulent village, a doctor of 43 is private physician in the service of 132 families but his annual salary is generally 10 crowns, its maximum is 30. Another doctor, in charge of 15 villages-presumably scattered over a large area, —had a total salary of 2000 crowns, 300 crowns are his traffic costs, his rent is 200 crowns and the number of his children is 12. An 84 years old doctor has an annual salary of 400 crowns for 30 years, the fee he received for visits was only 40 fillér. The sum of the doctor's honorarium was fixed by mutual agreement between the county and the physician. Some divergencies were possible from the amount established by the Minister for Home Affairs. (Departmental Order No. 135,000/1900.) The order took into consideration the areal differences as regards cultural and economical level, the different circumstances between towns and villages and the visiting fees could vary accordingly. These rather flexible measures which also implied the possibility of abuse had negative consequences. Some counties taking an unfair advantage of this possibility, fixed the fees rather low. The negative effect of the order and the possibility of isolation of the physicians was increased by the fact that in disputed cases the honorarium was fixed by the jury —after consulting some "experts". This contradictory situation becomes clear only if we take into consideration the contemporary administrative and legislative practice i.e. it was often the interested party 15 Orvostörténeti Közlemények 6.
