Szemészet, 2004 (141. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

2004-06-01 / 2. szám

141. évfolyam (2004)

195

of Győrffy and his team and their contact-lens laboratory, launched in 1955, won attention and recognition world-wide for the Hungarian profession.

For the sake of continuity we now jump ahead several years, to continue the account of Győrffy’s invention. The method of making contact-lenses using a press was so simple and ingenious that it was hailed internationally as a breakthrough. Probably this was the reason why in 1959 Győrffy was invited to the USA by the Eye Research Foundation, to attend the first world congress on contact lens techniques in Chicago. Győrffy was extremely pleased to receive the invitation; but was then told that because of his role in the events of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 he would not be permitted to travel. Neither the University, nor the Minister of Health, could get this edict overturned, and his appeal to the Party leadership also failed. Finally István Rusznyák, the president of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, came to his rescue. Győrffy in 1945 had saved the Rusznyak family by hiding them during the siege of Budapest. The two had not met since that time, but the president had not forgotten his debt. He used his “connections” to get the travel-permit issued.

At the Chicago conference, it was a further boost to the reputation of the Sub-section that Győrffy’s excellent 45-minute lecture was such a success. Just three of the lecturers, one of them Győrffy, were singled out for special recognition and awarded a special “diploma”. And, accompanying the diploma document, Győrffy was even more gratified to unexpectedly discover a cheque for $1000. Győrffy decided not to bring the money back to Hungary, but rather to spend it all during his remaining time abroad. He sent a telegram to his boss, Professor Nónay, requesting an additional 4 weeks leave from his job; his request was granted. So Győrffy was able to travel extensively in the USA, and afterwards to visit several European countries which he had previously had no hope of seeing.

Győrffy had many outstanding talents; to mention just one, he was for 45 years a keen numismatist, and put together a magnificent collection of coins related to the theme of ophthalmology. This collection may normally be seen in the Hungarian Museum of the History of Medicine; but during the present centennial Congress it will be temporarily on display in the Congress venue, the headquarters building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

It is not my task to recount here the history of the political happenings of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. Despite the upheavals the professional work went on, there were patients requiring treatment.

The issues of “Szemészet” published in 1957 contain several interesting case-reports. In 1958 an article titled “The physics and physiology of solar coagulation” was published by Vörösmarthy. It was however a pioneering operation performed the previous year by Kettesy which had given Vörösmarthy the inspiration for his paper. Kettesy had succeeded in repairing a central retinal detachment by the use of exposure to direct sunlight. This retinal coagulation method, employing an intense light source, is often attributed to Professor Meyer-Schwikerath of Switzerland. The Swiss enjoyed a vast superiority in technical resources, with which the Debrecen clinic could not compete; they were obliged to rely on the use of sunlight with its dependence on meteorological conditions. In the meantime Vörösmarthy developed an apparatus based on this principle, which was useful in some circumstances; he named the instrument “Solaris”.

In the “Szemészet” of 1958 a long (24-page) article by Ferenc Nagy of the 2nd Department of Ophthalmology summarising the diseases of the optic nerve was published. By this time the work done by Béla Alberth in Debrecen for the promotion of keratoplasty had begun to bear fruit. In this year he reported 8 successful keratoplasties performed for therapeutic purposes. In the 1959 issue György Imre published a study on the relatively rare Coats’ disease and its treatment. Useful information on various ptosis operations was also reported by Károly Turi and István Vári.

In 1958 Barraquer published details of his discovery of alpha-chimotripsin. Only a year later, Radnót and Varga were able to report many successfully-treated cases using the new drug - the number published was 88, but already by the time of printing this had increased to 132. This method represented a dramatic advance in intracapsular cataract surgery. It was encouraging that Hungarian ophthalmologists took up the new method so rapidly. The treatment of strabismus also continued to advance in Hungary. The advances in techniques are associated with the names of Alice Sternberg, Anna Bohár, Rezső Pajor, and Kálmán Molnár.

On 25 March 1959 the Ophthalmo-Oto Neurological Work-Group was established as a branch of the Pavlov Neurological Sub-Group. Pál Weinstein was elected as the ophthalmological representative on the 3-member leadership. The Work-Group scheduled scientific sessions every 2 months. The first session was held on 29 April 1959; László Remenár and Emil Pásztor presented a lecture titled “On the unilaterally-operated arachnitis opticus” which included 3 case-studies. “Szemészet” continued to publish the minutes of the Sub-section’s administrative meetings, as well as reviews of foreign literature. The Sub-section had its 1960 annual meeting on 6-8 October. Just prior to the annual meeting, the Ophthalmo-Oto Neurological Work-Group held a one-day session.

On 26 February 1960 the Sub-section held an election. The new officers were: President, Ferenc Kukán; Vice-Presidents, István Csapody and Ferenc Papolczy; General Secretary, Katalin Csépi. The Executive had in all 50 members.

In an article by Lajos Varga, “Szemészet” commemorated Ignác Hirschler (1823-1891), the outstanding figure of 19th century Hungarian ophthalmic medicine.

In time, the level of political isolation gradually decreased. There were some (usually the same individuals on every occasion) who were permitted to attend congresses held in Western countries. The first pan-European congress was held in Athens from 18-22 April 1960. An account of the proceedings was written by Pál Weinstein. The delegates from the Sub-section were Boros, Lugossy, Pajor, Papolczy, Polányi, Radnót, and Weinstein.

The main feature of the 1960 general assembly was the keynote lecture by Ágost Kahán, “Practical aspects of ocular biochemistry”. The accompanying lecture was by Gyula Lugossy, titled “The aqueous humour and its serology”. At the

100 YEARS OF THE HUNGARIAN OPHTHALMOLOGICAL SOCIETY