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

Pictures from the Past of the Healing Arts - Guide to the Exhibition

surgery was anaesthetics. He was among the first doctors in Europe to carry out operations under general anaesthetization as early as 1852. He was also deeply engaged in many researches for developing new methods in plastic surgery. We have exhibited his Képző műtétek (Plastic Operations), a thoroughly illustrated atlas in the show-case. Another important achievement of his surgery was the elaboration of the conservative method in treating tubercular bones and articular diseases. He greatly contributed to the renewal of the edition of Hungarian medical scholarship. The former standard journal, the afore-mentioned Orvosi Tar, that had been edited by Bugát, unluckily had ceased to appear after 1849. In 1857, together with Lajos Markusovszky, Balassa launched the Orvosi Hetilap (Medical Weekly), which has been the main organ for medical articles ever since. Moreover, he took part in the organization of the National Council of Public Health, and became its first president. We have displayed several other objects which present Balassa's life and career. One of the most unusual is a life size carved wooden hand model of his hand, made by the prominent Hungarian politician Ferenc Deák (1803-1876). Among the other objects you can see here there are hypodermic instruments, artery forceps and hooks, an adjustable rcctoscopc, a chain-saw and several memorial medals. On the panels we have arranged a row of the various diplomas of Balassa. 2. Lajos Markusovszky Another outstanding personality of the medical school of Pest was Lajos Markusovszky (1815-1893). His objectives had been already anticipated by the title of his thesis: Az orvos, mint nevelő (The Physician as Educationalist). He had studied — as many other Hungarian medical students — in Vienna for two years under Professor Wittmann. In Vienna he made a lifelong friendship of Ignác F. Semmelweis. In 1847 Markusovszky settled in Pest-Buda and became assistant to János Balassa who recognized his excellent qualities. Markusovszky had employed ether anaesthesia first to himself and then began to perform operations under ether. Similary to Balassa, he was also involved in the War of Independence, and gave lectures to military physicians on surgery. Later Markusovszky carried out a difficult operation on General Görgey, the Commander-in-Chief of the Hungarian forces. The General had suffered an extremely serious head injury caused by a shrapnel at Komárom on July 2 1849, but due to the successful treatment and his will power he was able to put himself again in command in less than two weeks time, and started to lead his last campaign on 13 July. Markusovszky accompanied Görgey to exile to Klagenfurt after the capitulation at Világos on August 11. The price of his enthusiasm about the political objectives of the revolution and his active role in its sanitary organizations was the loss of his job. Balassa then employed him as his private assistant. He held private consultations and became the 70