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)
G. Jeszenszky: Medical and Sanitary Conditions in Hungary as Seen by British Travellers, 1790—1848
ioo Medical History in Hungary 1972 (Comm. Hist. Artis Med. Suppl. 6.) balls, which, from an unfound apprehension of bad consequences, the peasants are unwilling to have removed. This disease is not, however, common in Hungary, and is, I believe, nearly confined to the northern districts." The preservation of health was indeed not easy under such circumstances, and if one felt ill there were few remedies except nature or popular experience. There were very few doctors of medicine in the 18th century and their place was filled by surgeons and barbers (barbitonsores) or midwives. Medical affairs was, however, a growing concern on the part of the government, partly because the development of the country recquired it, partly because it was not covered by the old feudal rights of the nobility and consequently it left more room for government interference. The 1752 decree of the Consilium Locumtenentiale (Governing Council) recquired all counties to employ a county physician, in 1770 a general health regulation (generale normativum in re sanitatis) appeared and in 1786 the office of national head-physician (protomedicus) was established (with a separate one for Transylvania). But the efforts of the Diet to draw up a Health Act (in 1793 and 1825) having failed, this was left to the historic Parliament of 1848. When physicians were scarce (and those few worked in the towns) and even the surgeons and midwives were lacking proper qualifications, much depended on the local landlord as to the health of the peasants. They could look up for help only to him and to the local priest when their own medicaments (mainly herbs) failed them. Sometimes this patriarchal way of curing was quite sufficient when the landlord had some medical knowledge or the lady was especially warm-hearted. The British travellers met such cases. In 1815 Bright spoke with great appreciation on a fellow-doctor. "Graf Emmerich Batthyani (Batthyány Imre), of Nemeth-Újvár, is himself an excellent physician, and few places to which invalids resort for their health, will be found more frequented than the mansion of the Graf at Polgárđi in Hungary. Persons of all conditions, and of all religious persuasions, there receive, without distinction, gratuitous relief. He dispenses the medicines gratis, and with so much benevolence and care, that he puts all other concerns out of view, when patients require his assitance ; and of these a considerable number assemble daily, for they come in crowds to the Graf. .. It is impossible that more kindness could be exhibited, if he were regularly paid for his attendance. When he understands that any of his peasantry are ill, and unable to come, he repairs to their cottages, however distant they may be, and sends the necessary relief ; and it is not only with medicines, but with grain, money, and other benefactions, that he endeavours to soften their calamities. He is the father as well as the lord of his peasantry Paget witnessed a similar devotion in Transylvania when the cholera reached the village of Szentgyörgy near Torockó. "For these persons we found the Countess was the sole physician, her house their dispensary, and sometimes even their hospital, for she had had several brought there, that they might be better attended to. Several times, during dinner , her daughter was obliged to leave the table to 2f i Bright, pp. G27-8.
