Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts / Orvostörténeti Közlemények – Supplementum 18-19. (Budapest, 2000)

Semmelweis's Birthplace - the Home of the Museum

The life of Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis (1818-1865) (by József Antall) Hungarian mcdicinc developed under the influence of Vienna in the 18th and 19th centuries. This city was the Mecca of Hungarian medical students, a place where they could complete their knowledge and were introduced to the most recent theories and practice of contemporary medicine. The diploma they acquired there was accepted throughout the empire. The Habsburg rule deprived Hungary from its national independence, preserved its underdevelopment and hindered the rise of progressive Hungarian intellectual life. This judgement, however, docs not contradict to the fact that the government frequently issued useful, sometimes even progressive policies which dealt with public health, public education, social security or even poor relief. They acted under the pressure of historical development but these efforts were not in vogue with the natural demands of Hungary's own progression. As Hungary's innate, autonomous development was hindered and its retrograde groups were supported, the public health and education affairs remained provincial. This docs not minimize rather increases the merit of those scholars who — working among such poor conditions — undertook the improvement of public life. During the reform era Pest became the centre of scientific activities and the rising Hungarian medical life. The medical school of Pest was formed when the new generation of physicians began to gather around János Balassa. This new generation reached the scientific level of the leading countries, and it had homogeneous views about mcdicinc and public life and created a school for the succeeding generations. A hard time came upon after August 1849, the surrender at Világos, when the War of Independence was put down. János Balassa was imprisoned, but fortunately soon released. On the initiative of Markasovszky, the medical men arranged riding tours and called themselves ironically Façulté de medicine á cheval. Markusovszky and Lumniczer, the two excellent surgeons were private assistants to Professor Balassa as soon as his chair was returned to him. The members of the Balassa-circlc formed the School of Pest, which basis had been laid down during the reform period preceding the Revolution and War of Independence. Their circle extended and soon included such people as Lajos Arányi, János Wágner, János Bókaÿ, István Sass, Ignác Hirschler, János Czermák, Jenő Jendrassik, Kálmán Balogh and the very first among them Ignác Semmelweis. 15