A leprától a spanyolnátháig.
Authors: Kincses Katalin Mária , Szakály Sándor 
Published: December 2021

Összefoglaló. A tanulmány az egyetemes és magyar medicina
járványtörténeti és hadtörténeti összefüggéseit vizsgálja történeti példák
alapján, a kérdés fontosabb vonatkozásainak vázlatát igyekszik megrajzolni. A
szerzők megállapítják, hogy a járványtörténet az orvostörténetnek egyik azon
fejezete, amelyik a hadtörténelemhez is szorosan kapcsolódik, ily módon a téma a
tágabb értelemben vett, korszakokon átívelő védelempolitika tárgykörébe is
illeszkedik. A felsorakoztatott példák rávilágítanak, hogy a járványok
természetszerűleg a háborúk kísérői voltak, ugyanakkor azok terjedéséhez is
hozzájárultak. Az európai társadalmak a történeti korokban a legnagyobb
járványokat intézményi szinten csak a katonaság bevonásával, valamint már a
középkortól kezdve egészen a legutóbbi időkig csak katonai szigorúságú
intézkedésekkel voltak képes megfékezni.

Summary. The foundations of modern medicine were formed during the
Enlightenment. Medical treatment in Europe took its present form in the second
half of the 19th century, when healing based on observations, experience,
idealistic philosophical theories and beliefs were supplanted by medicine based
on scientific empiricism due to the turbulent development and specialization of
natural sciences. Today, healing is based on basic laboratory research. Hygiene,
supported by bacteriological research, has come to the fore in clinical
practice. The healing network (hospitals, medical institutions and healing
society in general, from doctors to caregivers) and the public health insurance
system have been established.

The history of human conflicts coincides with the history of medicine. The
history of war and the epidemics that have plagued humanity are an extreme form
of both of these. A common feature between ancient and modern societies is that
their greatest public health challenge is/was caused by infectious and epidemic
diseases, which are/were the leading cause of mortality from time to time. The
authors cite examples from epidemiological history and solution strategies in
Europe and Hungary. The history of epidemics in the Middle Ages, Early Modern
and Modern Ages is one of the chapters of medical history closely related to
military history. In this way, the topic naturally fits into the scope of
defense policy (military) in a broader sense, spanning the epochs. The examples
show that epidemics not only accompanied the wars, but that the movement of
soldiers also caused large-scale epidemics in Europe to a large extent or
facilitated their spread. At the same time, the solution was in the hands of the
armies, the military administration. In the Middle and Early Modern Ages, the
only effective way to deal with epidemics, i.e., quarantine, could be
implemented and maintained only with the participation of military forces.

In Europe, epidemic management has been changing since the 18th century. At the
same time, the greatest epidemics from the 18th century until the end of the
First World War could only be curbed at the institutional level with the broad
involvement of the army. Military mentality and rigor have been reflected (in a
good sense) in effective epidemic management in European culture. From the
Middle Ages to the present day, the management and possible curbing of major
epidemics, in addition to extensive vaccination efforts, could have been
maintained only with the participation of the military.