Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 3. (Budapest, 1956)

J. BALOGH, M. D.: The hungarian traumatic surgery in the first part of the 19th century

haste extracted the knife, stuffed the wound with rugs and threw a bucketful of cold water on the patient. The patient regained consiousness, recovered under careful treatment and luckily survived the 50 strokes he had been sentenced to. The article has been written in a witty, fine style, but unfortunately the only reliable evidence mentioned in it is that the arterial pulse was considerably weaker in the left arm than in the right. The next article dealing with chest injuries did not appear until 1861, when, in a series entitled: Tábori Sebészet (,,Field Surgery") Batizfalvy presented a review of contemporary knowledge. The only original article is the one written by Gyula Lovrics: a soldier on furlough had been shot in the chest. Author observed the case for 16 days, when the patient died. The findings at necropsy are also presented. One gathers the impression from the article that chest wounds seemed rather fearful conditions to the surgeon of that time. Just as they are one of the main fields of present-day surgical activity, injuries to the limbs gave rather much work to the surgeons of the 19th century, too. The pertaining articles in O. T. place the arrest of bleeding and the problems of fixation in the focus of interest. New methods adopted from foreign countries are reported on and tried from time to time and, in general, the articles stress the imerHs of individual surgical skill and expertness. In a paper by dr. Prieger, Court Councillor, entitled: „Szövetkezet csonttörés" (Compound fracture of the bone), the following can be read: Stones smashed 'the leg of a mason, the crushed fibula and tibia lacerated the soft tissues and much blood was lost. Dr. Prieger covered the wound with cloth soaked in cold water, applied 3 tiles coated with linen, immobilised the whole limb and prescribed cold compresses. The affected limb remained in that state for 22 days and was untouched, although major swelling, purulent exudation and even the presence of maggots were noted. Yet, to the surprise of all concerned, the wound was almost completely healed and the fracture ends were relatively well united at 22 days, when the dressing was removed. The shape of the fractured limb was nearly normal and the patient