Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 89-91. (Budapest, 1980)
TANULMÁNYOK - Magyar, Imre: Belgyógyászati irányzatok Magyarországon a két világháború között (angol nyelven)
MEDICAL TRENDS IN INTERWAR HUNGARY IMRE MAGYAR During the period of political reaction after the overthrow of the Hungarian Soviet Republic (August 1, 1919) medical literature in Hungary was still capable of preserving its high professional standards. An attractive series of stimulating and valuable articles were published. Spanish influenza was extensively dealt with [1-3]. K. Engel [4] reported on epidemic hiccup. Ángyán [5] reviewed the symptoms of digitalis intoxication. P. Újlaki [6] discussed war-time renal diseases, while Benczúr [7] presented a treatise on the indication and technique of thoracocentesis. In Orvosképzés (Medical Postgraduate Training) illuminating and highly ethical studies were published on the importance of social hygiene in the aetiology of diseases by H. Pach [8], on the relationship between, and of the latest advances of, pathogenesis and therapy by S. Korányi [9], on old and new diagnostics again by S. Korányi [10], on the appropriate evaluation of statistics by S. Korányi [11] again, and on the concepts of health and disease by F. Herczog [12]. The University of Pozsony [13] was founded, chaired by Professors like B. Entz, G. Mansfeld, B. Fenyvessy, J. Imre, P. Heim and F. Herczog. However, the University itself was soon forced to transfer headquarters since Pozsony (Bratislava) —in accordance with the peace treaties terminating World War I —had become part of Czechoslovakia. Hatieganu [14], a member of the Department of Medicine headed by Korányi, published an enlightened, modern article on the aetiology of infectious hepatitis, while M. Roth [15] on blood glucose testing and its practical advantages. Again S. Korányi [16] reported on polypragmasy in the treatment of influenza with special regard to a shortage of drugs. At the same time, however, in addition to the papers cited above, publications by the medical representatives of right-wing political trends also appeared propagating culture-chauvinist, racist, anti-semitic views [17-25]. Nevertheless, by 1923 Hungarian medical publications had generally regained their orginally high standard, and for their reader —if not familiar with other aspects of the Horthy Hungary —they revealed a consolidated medical and scientific life and one thing more, i. e. the impoverishment of physicians which was to become a prevailing condition during the subsequent years. To mention but one example of improvement, at the beginning of 1920 Orvosi Hetilap (Medical Weekly) [26] reported that in the Soviet Union Pavlov was living in extreme poverty pealing potatoes instead of conducting scientific research. In 1923 already Verzár [27] gave account of the Edinburgh Congress of Physiology where McLeod delivered a great lecture on insulin, and where also Pavlov was taking part with several other Soviet physicians, his lecture as well as his personality being great attractions.
