3w - 54. Österreichischer Chirurgenkongress

Geschichte der Chirurgie in Österreich
Rudolf Roka
A short history of surgery in Austria
Let us have a look at medical standards at the end of the 17th Century. In the universities
professors taught mainly their antiquated knowledge according to the scholastic tradition and
book knowledge. The school medicine endeavoured to keep their privileges from the Middle
Ages and was in permanent conflict with charlatans and quackery – both in the city as well as
in the country.
As generally in history, the key to the necessary reform came from the symbiosis among farsighted
and charismatic personalities. The great emperess Maria Theresia took a look at the
Dutch university in Leyden. The great medical teacher and reformer Boerhaave established
there an unusually modern institute for that time, including: an anatomical theatre, laboratories
and bed-side teaching.
It took some effort by Maria Theresia to appoint one of his pupils named
Gerard van Swieten as her personal physician in 1745. His influence surpassed
personal doctor rapidly. He became the advisor in all questions dealing with
medical treatment and systems as well as earning the undivided trust of
the emperess. For this reason he was asked to reform academic systems
concerning all medical and staffing processes – a situation reluctantly
accepted by the celebrated professors working there.
Nowadays Van Swieten remains the creator of the 1st Viennese Medical
School. Concisely he started the change from the book knowledge to the practice and the
doctors sick-bed-visits with discussion, analysis and the documentation of symptoms, and
furthermore the inclusion of the students in scientific activities.
Even more effective than Maria Theresia was her son’s involvement Josef II for the medical
development of our country. His confident was his personal surgeon Alessandro Brambilla,
who’s idea was the foundation of a school for war surgery,
a famous building and now an exciting medical museum,
called Josefinum. The influence of Josef II was even more
radical according to the age of enlightenment-ideals. He
strongly wanted to improve - or more correct – to start social
medical activities.
The visible proof was the building of the biggest hospital
in Middle-Europe called Allgemeines Krankenhaus. This
hospital was inaugurated in 1784 and was the academic
home for all the medical disciplines until the year 1995, more than 200 years.
Back to the Josefinum. The aim of the foundation – initiated
by the surgeon Brambilla – was the improvement of the
education and the reputation of surgery. This institution had
outstanding technical equipment.
As mentioned before it’s now a splendid museum with a
large series of unique exhibits, for example the anatomic
waxworks and the first stomach removed by Theodor Billroth.
A must for everyone interested in medical history.
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