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

the Schmelz-cemetery, where he first rested and the two solid copper plates, used to be fixed onto his metal coffin, and were found during the exhumation in 1963. In the show-case there are two memorial medals dedicated to Semmelweis made by the József Reményi in 1918 and a copy of his skull. The Semmelweis section concludes with three quotations which may reveal the essence of his life and work: 'Everything was problematic, — he wrote in his diary — everything was unclear, everything was dubious, only the high rate of mortality was an undoubtful reality

.' The second reads as follows: 1 Murder must be stopped and in order to stop it I shall keep guard, and anyone who dare to propagate dangerous doctrines on puerperal fever will find a determined opponent in me.' The third quotation was written by the English Semmelweis Memorial Committee', it reads as follows: 'The scheme to raise an international Semmelweis memorial is a noble one and we are pleased to support it

... What Semmelweis had accomplished does not belong simply to medicine, to his country or to ours, but to the whole world.'' 5. The medical school of Pest and the formation of special disciplines The Medical School of Pest, which raised Hungarian medicine among the bests in Europe, did not lack outstanding figures in the last third of the 19th ccntury either. Its development remained uninterrupted. The founder of the 'Bókay-dynasty', János Bókaÿ (sen.) (1822-1884) renewed pediatrics at the University of Pest. JenőJendrassik (1824-1891) was the first significant representative of physical medicine. He was responsible for the plans of the Physiological Institute of the University, which was one of the most modern institutes of Europe. Tivadar Margó (1816-1896) was professor of zoology and comparative anatomy. He was a distinguished biologist of these times and introduced Darwinism to Hungary. Frigyes Korányi (1823-1913), a member of the 'Balassa-circlc' was an eminent Hungarian internist who won European reputation. After the War of Independence he was expelled not only from Vienna but from Pest as well, hcncc returned to his native village, Nagykálló. Hungarian medicinc could hardly get along without his vast knowledge and international experiences. After his rehabilitation, he becamc a professor of the University of Pest in 1866. He had preserved his post by 1908 and took a leading role in reforming public health services. He started to fight against tuberculosis and his tremendous efforts opened a new epoch in curing kidney diseases. He was a doctor who stood for progressive and modern ideas which were welcomed by all. Lajos Arányi (1812-1887) was another remarkable representative of this generation. He furnished the department of pathological anatomy at his own costs. He 74