Kapronczay Károly szerk.: Orvostörténeti Közlemények 200-201. (Budapest, 2007)
TANULMÁNYOK — ARTICLES - FORRAI, Judit: History of a Special Healing Method for Motor-disordered Children: Conductive Education - A mozgásszervi betegségben szenvedő gyermekek egyik sajátos gyógymódja, a konduktív nevelés története
impaired children since the 1930s. He gave Pető the chance to give lectures at the university, with which he gave emphasis to medical recognition of Pető. János Szentágothai 's 64 inaugural speech 65 at the opening of the new Institute on Kútvölgyi street, 16 th April, 1985: „I was deeply impressed by what I experienced on my visits to the Institute, and which experiences contradicted, or rather, seemed to be standing in surprising contradiction with what we were taught in medical science in connection to neurology... I was almost astonished to see, that the wonderful... reorganisation and rehabilitation of functions happens by itself, that the nervous-system knows much more than we had assumed... But it was just these results which I have seen in this institute that assured me that, yes, the method which Pető worked out at the time, and about which method he was fanatical and presented with great conviction, trying to develop it further in the face of much opposition, and which method he finally carried into effect with a huge international success, well, that despite of all the medical considerations, there is still much more possibility hidden in it. Even in such serious cases where one might as well say "let us leave it to modern technology" trained conductors, with their enormous commitment and educational efforts can achieve results which mean a definite easing in the lives of the motor disabled... I think it would not be right to look in the direction of computerised, robot nursing systems and chairs and beds moving by themselves at the push of a button when searching for a way forward. The way in which we should be developing lies in that we can get wonderful results through systematic work. In many cases these results cannot be scientifically surveyed and some parts cannot be fully understood, but we always have to think, if there are connections in the central nervous system at all, then miraculously, the function will be regained to a certain extent. This, however, can only be achieved with enormous work and outstanding enthusiasm from patient and conductor alike, with steady practice and constantly maintaining a standard, and with the continuous raising of that standard. ...I am absolutely sure that the therapy is not charity, but a deed done in the best interest of society. First of all, because a person of limited motor function or a rehabilitated motor disabled person is actually a better worker than a healthy one, who takes this gift of life for granted. But someone who gets to a certain level of performance through hard work, will always value this so highly that they will be a more motivated member of our working society. This is a victorious initiative for our educational and pedagogical system, which has already achieved results, but the true flowering and unfolding of those results will only now become apparent. " Pető spent his whole day in his Institute, from early morning till late evening. He had a habit over the years to go to cafés and he invited his acquaintances, friends or colleagues, either there or to his flat so that he could have conversations with them. In the evenings he often gave dinners. The meetings in his flat were good opportunities to talk different themes over in a relaxed atmosphere. János Szentágothai (1912-1995) Medical researcher, anatomist, neuro-anatomist, corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Science, recipient of the Kossuth Prize. Researcher into the finer structure of the nervous-system. Member of the Lenhossék dynasty, researching the tissues in the nervous system. Hári, Mária: O.e., 229-230.
