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Author presents and analyses informations of non-medical texts of Byzantine historians and chroniclers concerning diseases of Byzantine emperors, concluding that diseases were implicated in certain political and military difficulties. Only one third of the emperors died due to natural causes (i.e. illnesses). Some historians, such as Anna Comnena and Michael Psellos had studied medicine, both of them had excellent knowledge of medical theories of their times. Some diseases in Byzantium were widespread and had high morbidity. This material gives an indication that arthritis (resembling gout) tyrannised a great number of emperors. Contemporary historians maintain that the main causes of gout were overconsumption of alcoholic drinks and food. Other very serious conditions were acute and chronic pyelonephritis and urolithiasis. Relatively frequent conditions of the emperors included pestilential diseases (dysentery, typhoid fever, etc.), psychiatric disorders, epilepsy and arteriosclerosis.

There are few written documents and even fewer accurate data on the public hygiene of Székelykeresztúr (today also, as Cristuru Secuesc in Rumania), at the remote southern parts of historic Hungary. Ethno-medicine was certainly based on oral traditions, and its observations, experience and practice included the widespread use of magic and quackmedicine. The repeated epidemics of plague, cholera and diphteria - some even occurring in the 20th c. - forced local authorities to introduce counter-measures. The number of university trained, qualified physicians remained, however, inadequate during mid 19th c. in Transylvania: in 1843, there were only 69 of them and though it was levelled up to 94 by 1863, but even this increase was less than enough. Despite the devoted efforts of the qualified medical staff, medical care in this under-urbanised and generally underdeveloped region remained weak. Modern scientific medicine only came the 20th c. and set only slowly through, so that in the first decades of the 20th c. the yearly increase of the Székely (Szekler) population was between 0 and 4.9%. The centuries old backwardness of the region, was only slowly overcome.

The author investigates the personality of Samson, the Biblical hero, and supposes, that we face in his case some sort of mental illness. He bases his conclusions upon the following facts: (1) Samson's strength is abnormal, which might be as a result of some sort of brain storm or hysteria. (2) Neither the causes, nor the objects of his brain storms could be explained rationally, as his deed look quite irrelevant and ill-proportioned. (3) His victims sometimes are animals, which might cover sadistic inclination. (4) As a result of his abnormal behaviour Samson separates himself from society. Furthermore, at the end of his story he falls into total dementia. The author, however, emphasizes the impressive fact, that in spite of his mental disorders Samson was able to play and important role in the history of his nation - and this fact reflects a quite different attitude towards illness, as compared to those what we hold today.

The present article gives a short overview on the biography and scientific work of professor Dezsö Miskolczy, one of the founders of Hungarian neurology. his main scientific achievement was the modification of the Bielschowsky-method of imprenation. Miskolczy published already in 1926 an article on the problem of the crossing of central tracks of nervous system. He search successfully - among others - the problems of constitution, inheritance, aging, and the structure of the cerebellum as well. Miskolczy worked not only in Budapest, but in Szeged, Kolozsvár and Marosvásárhely (Transylvania) too. His activity has been honoured with the highest acknowledgements and decorations given by the Hungarian and Rumanian governments. He was elested to member of several foreign academies and scientific societies. His students - who always honoured and respected him - were deeply impressed by his suggestive personality and pedagogical talent.

The author gives a comprehensive guide to Hungarian scholars, who attempt to search the history of Graeco-Arabic medicine and dietetics, respectively. This guide contains a short introduction into the different types of sources, lists the main authors, editions and texts available in Hungary indicating the libraries where the sources are to be found. The author organizes his material according the the main authors of the subject. Helped by this useful "database" researchers might be able to avoid difficulties of the first steps on this still, actually, largely unexplored field of the history of medicine .

István Rusznyák was one of the most remarkable members of the internist school of Baron Sándor Korányi, whose functional understanding of body processes made his school famous. Rusznyák started his career at Szeged where he much improved the university internist teaching hospital, originally opened in December 1928, which beside healing was a base of medical research and tuition alike. Rusznyák led the Clinique as a director until World War Two. In developing of the Clinique it was not only Rusznyák's medical expertise and efficiency in organisation which helped but also his wide ranger of personal contacts. In spite of the later he was, nevertheless, deported. After the war he was appointed the post of director of the 1st Clinique of Internal Medicine of the Budapest University. His reputation during his years at Budapest, alike in Szeged made him a well known internist and an effective director. Among his friends he could count the best Hungarian medical experts. The article also touches the rather negative role Rusznyák played for the Stalinist regime in Hungary.

At the turn of the 20th century, in the frame of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, Hungarian enterpreneurs - backed by the Hungarian government - attempted to launch a "Hungarian area" on the Adriatic coasts with the center of Crikvenica and Abbazia (presently Opatija). (This time Fiume (Rijeka), as the only Hungarian seaport has been partly possessed and governed by Hungarians). Author gives a short overview on these attempts with a special regard to the activity of Hungarian physicians on the Adriatic coasts, especially in Abbazia (Opatija) and to the health resorts founded by them, respectively. He calls our attention to the fact, that as a result of the activity of Hungarian physicians and enterpreneurs this period proved to be the so called "golden age" of Abbazia and of its environment.