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
G. Jeszenszky : Medical and Sanitary Conditions in Hungary. .. 79 send off medicines for some new patient who claimed her aid. In this she was assisted by the steward and the clergyman, who seemed both to take an active interest in the fate of the poor sufferers. During the short time we remained, five more deaths were reported." 2 1 When emergency did not require the direct help of the landlord or his household, the task of supervising the health of the peasants fell on the doctor of the lord, occasionally visiting the estate. Paget describes a typical case. "Or it may be, the doctor has come over to see after the health of the family, and the seigneur takes that opportunity to lead him round the village, that he may bleed and physic all those who have wanted it for the last three months, or who are likely to want it for the next three months to come." And he adds a note: "A worthy old Baron, now dead, used to have the doctor over every spring and autumn with a waggonload of herbs . These herbs, duly decocted and distilled, were administered to the whole family and village, which were then considered sound for six months to come." Even such paternal care could be showed only where the landlord did not spend most of his time in Vienna or abroad, and it was more common in Transylvania than in the rest of Hungary. The towns and some ecclesiastical institutions had their hospitals well before the Turkish wars. They were often connected with the home for the poor and for the aged. The new establishments of the 18th century still bore this mark for a long time, and only the most desolate people were admitted who otherwise would have died in the streets. At that time to be taken to hospital was considered as a sign of the approaching end and it served only to ease the last hours of these miserable people. They were maintained by public donations (even the daily food had to be collected in such a way), and the example of the hospital of Keszthely shows that for a long time it remained so. The hospital . .is rather a poor-house, than an institution for the cure of the sick. It is managed with much attention, and the inmates receive many little conveniances, and even luxuries, from the pious offerings of persons in humble life, who, from religious motives, and for the fulfilment of vows, bring gifts according to their means" 2 8 The hospitals maintained by some religious order were in a better position and they were well organized. Miss Pardoe spoke at length on some of them. "The Elisabethans, or Sisters of Mercy, whose convent is one large hospital for the sick and the needy ..." were in Pozsony, where there was another hospital of the Brothers of Mercy. 29 Both here and in that of the Sisters of Charity in Buda :! 0 she found good order, cleanliness, and much kindness. The progress of the idea of public hospitals in the modern sense of the word, where emphasis in on curing and not on charity, was rather slow in Hungary, Buda had one already in 1710, but its capacity remained small even after build2 7 Paget, II. p. 350. 2 8 Bright, P. 448. 2 9 Pardoe, I. pp. 13—15. The detailed account of the visit is on pp. 46. and 51-2, resp., including a moving description of their self-sacrifising activities. 3 0 Ibid. III. pp. 155-6.
