An old book review on the history of pediatrics and Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay

Abstract

The historical sources of medicine involve medical documents, printed books, biographies, memoirs or diary writing, and prescriptions. In addition to these, sources that have archival value should be brought to the present and interpreted in research on a subject related to the history of medicine. The value of historical data depends on the preservation of the original and being open to interpretation without changing the information included. In this study, we discuss the original form of the book named A General Outlook on the History of Pediatrics, which is a work about the history of pediatrics written by a pediatrician. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay, the writer of the book, is also a doctor who has contributed to the development of pediatrics in our country. The book, which addresses the developmental challenges of pediatrics in the study disciplines of medicine and presents its journey from past to present by using different sources of literature, contributes to the literature on the history of pediatric medicine. When evaluated in the context of the conditions of the period when it was written, bringing the book including unique information on the history of pediatrics in the Western and Eastern worlds and Turkey to the present, is important to fill a gap in literature. In the study, we aim to share a brief summary of the book with the science world after a short biography of Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay.

Introduction

It is well known that books with scientific quality were printed following University Reform in 1933 owing to the development of medicine and the efforts of physicians working in this area, and that these books contributed academically to medical students and physicians in that period. Unfortunately, very few remained until today among these printed works and most disappeared as a result of extreme corrosion or disposal before being appreciated adequately. The biographies of these books’ authors, as well as their contents began to vanish. Therefore, protection of these types of printed works existing in medical faculty libraries or in archives in departments of history of medicine, and reuniting brief biographies of their authors with readers are necessary in terms of freshening historical memory.

We would like to introduce the book named A General Outlook on the History of Pediatrics (1948) written by Prof. Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay, which is one of the above-mentioned books, and to give brief information about its content. It exists in the archive of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Ethics, and carries the characteristics of being a historical printed work in terms of the Turkish History of Medicine. We think that preparing an extended form of this book, which is one of the rare works related to the history of the Turkish Pediatrics, will be a great contribution in terms of history of medicine and history of pediatrics in the future.

The book’s record

The book’s name: A General Outlook on the History of Pediatrics

Author: Dr. Sezai Bedreddin Tümay

Place, year of printing: İsmail Akgün Printing House, İstanbul 1948

Number of pages: 36

Type of book cover: Hardback

Issue: 1^st issue

Place where the book still exists and its physical condition: Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, History of Medicine Archive Recording number: 2511

Condition: Moderate corrosion (Fig. 1)

Figure 1.

Cover of the original edition of the book

Professor Sezai Bedrettin Tümay’s brief biography

He was born in İstanbul. He was the son of Navy Office Application Office First Secretary Hafız Mehmed Efendi (Fig. 2). After completing primary school in Fatih Central Middle School, secondary school in Gelibolu High School, and high school in Vefa High School, he received his medical diploma from the Military Medical School in 1925 (Dipl. 517/3985). Two years after he graduated from medical school, he left the army because of sickness and entered the second Internal Medicine Clinic in Faculty of Medicine as a voluntary resident. In 1929, he became resident in the Darülaceze Institution Kindergarten. After working for two years, he was sent to Şişli Children’s Hospital for internship for his specialization examination. In 1931, he received his specialization certificate (License 965/2443) and he was appointed as chief physician and Pediatrician in Üsküdar Nursery. He worked there for nine years. Subsequently, he attended pediatrics clinics in Paris for about two months in order to improve his specialization. After returning to Turkey, he passed the Faculty of Medicine Associate Professorship examination and became an Associate Professor. He became a professor in 1951. He established the Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty Pediatrics Clinic in 1967.

Figure 2.

Prof. Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay

He worked as President of the Turkish Pediatric Association (1930) in the years of 1951, 1953, 1956, 1961, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1976, and 1979. He served as secretary general in the establishment of the Turkish Pediatric Association on May 2, 1930, in İstanbul with the name “Council of Pediatricians.” He established the İstanbul Protection Association for Pediatric Patients with Professor Teoman Onat and they strived together for this association to become a public benefit association.

Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay worked as Secretary General in İstanbul Council of Pediatricians. He served as vice president for two years and simultaneously managed the journal of Pediatrics Clinic. His areas of interest focused on nutrition of infants, treatment of diphtheria, preterm births, childcare, child rearing, social care, and protection. Prof. Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay has about 200 books, monographs, and publications. In addition, he primarily published the Turkish Pediatrics Congress books himself and actively and adoptively supported publication of about 30 congress books during the period from 1972 when he retired to the time of his death. Besides, he adopted İstanbul Pediatrics Clinic Journal, the publication of which could not be continued previously, and enabled this journal to reach its 22^nd volume. He retired in 1973 and died in 1986 (1–4).

We remember him with mercy, love, and respect.

Some of his works:

1. Çocuk Ölümü, Kenan Matbaası, 1944.

2. Çocuk Bakımı Bilgisi, T.C. Sağlık ve Sosyal Yardım Bakanlığı Yayınları, İstanbul Matbaacılık, 1949.

3. Pankreasın Doğuştan Fibrokistik Yetmezliği, İsmail Akgün Matbaası, İstanbul 1952.

4. Poliomiyelitis, Kader Basımevi, 1954.

5. III. Türk Pediyatri Kurumu Semineri (Raporlar ve Tebliğler), Çelikcilt Basımevi, 1964.

6. Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Kürsüsünün Tarihine Kısa Bir Bakış. CTFD 1973;4: 356-366.

7. XIV. Türk Pediyatri Kongresi, Tebliğler (Heyet ile birlikte), Sermet Matbaası, 1976.

8. XV. Türk Pediyatri Kongresi, Pediyatrik gastroenteroloji, (Heyet ile birlikte), Sermet Matbaası, 1976.

9. XVI. Türk Pediyatri Kongresi, Perinatoloji (Heyet ile birlikte), Sermet Matbaası, 1977.

10. Çocukluk Çağında Sindirim Yolları İle İlgili Alerjiler, Sermet Matbaası, 1977.

11. Metabolizma Hastalıklarında Yenilikler (Yayına Hazırlayanlar: Sezai Bedrettin Tümay, Metine Bilger, Nadir Hatemi, Asım Cenani), XVII. Türk Pediatri Kongresi, Cilt: 1, Işık Matbaacılık, 1979

Evaluation of Prof. Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay’s book titled “çocuk hekimliği tarihine genel bir bakiş (a general outlook of the history of pediatrics)”

The book is on record in Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Ethics archive and signed by its author Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay in the internal page for Professor Dr. Muhittin Erel, who is the founder rector of Ege University (Fig. 3).

Figure 3.

Example of the book that Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tumay signed to Dr. Muhittin Erel in our archive

The content of the book is composed of the following parts:

• A general outlook of the history of pediatrics

• Development of pediatrics

  • An outlook of old times

• Development of our pediatrics

  • Pediatrics in old times
  • Development between the new order and the constitutional monarchy
  • The period of the constitutional monarchy
  • The republic period

• Pediatrics clinic

• Bibliography (The author stated that he used 18 references while preparing the book and gave the names of these reference in this part.)

Brief summary of the book

Prof. Dr. Sezai Bedrettin Tümay thanks Prof. Dr. A. Süheyl Ünver who was an expert of history of medicine in the footnote for his contribution in the preparation of the part “A General Outlook of the History of Pediatrics”, states that the history of pediatrics is as old as the history of humanity, and points to the fact that the importance given to children worldwide is becoming a national issue. It is stated that the development of pediatrics in different eras and in our country will be examined and a comparison will be made in this book. Prof. Dr. Tümay emphasizes that the examination of the history of pediatrics will be based on references and he will try to disclose the obscure points in this issue, and our history of pediatrics will be examined in parallel to the Western world with the recommendations and contributions of colleagues.

In the book, Dr. Tümay states that it was not quite possible to appreciate children in old times in the historical texture, especially girls were being killed because they constituted a group who were desired less compared with boys, and twin children and illegitimate children were exposed to the same outcome. He emphasizes that these bad habits were being applied frequently by Iranians, Carthaginians, Arabs, and Phoenicians, and these types of beliefs still continued even today in some places.

In the old times, the primary food for young children was breastmilk. Dr. Tümay points out that there were articles attributed to Hippocrates that were related to infants and their diseases in ancient Greeks. Some of these were related to hip dislocation, swallowing disorders, diarrhea, and febrile convulsion. Soranus from Ephesus is noted, who had a place in the history of pediatrics in that period, and his recommendations related to the status and nutrition of newborns, are presented. The presence of Cuhdişapur medical madrasah where Iranian, Arabic, and Hindu physicians from the Eastern world met, is emphasized and the place of Ebu Bekir Râzi in pediatrics is noted.

Dr. Tümay states that medicine has been present since the Middle Asia times in the Turks. He notes the ideas of Sumerians in this issue and mentions an obstetrics book related to women’s diseases composed of 20 tablets. Dr. Tümay notes that the civilization that was established by the Hittite Turks in B.C. 7000 after they migrated to Anatolia and settled here, was as old as the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, and no written material belonging to the Hittite Turks that was related to medicine was found. He states that the Sumerians and Hittites had similar habits, both civilizations expanded towards the Aegean islands, Thrace, Macedonia, and Italy, and the Turkish tribes Lidia, Phrygia, and Etruscan Turks who lived in the same period had a role in this expansion. Dr. Tümay’s interpretation that it was thought Hippocrates and Calinos (Galen) form Pergamon were under the influence of the Turkish civilization’s medicine is interesting.

Dr. Tümay mentions that pediatrics developed with the Renaissance movement that started after the middle ages in the West and gives brief information about physicians who pioneered in this area. Dr. Tümay states that most of these physicians were affected by the advancements in the Eastern world and this had the origins in the works of Doctor Râzi. Physicians who helped advancements related to the development of pediatrics in the West and their studies are presented as follows: Fiyomali Bagellerdo who was affected by Râzi; Bartholomaeus Metlinger who wrote a monograph related to child diseases and childcare; Cornelius Roelants with his work related to child diseases composed of 233 pages; Guillaum de Baillau who explained whooping cough; Germino Soriano, Ludovico-Lobera de avila, and Fransisco Peres who worked in Spain in the area of pediatrics; Phlips Gerhard Gruling who published references related to the treatment of child diseases; Walter Harris with his work named “De Morbis acutis in infantum;” Frederich Hoffmann with his book named “Praxis clinica Morborum infantum,” the first pediatric institution in England known as Saint Andreus Hill Dispensary established in London in 1816, which was managed by John Bunnel Devis; New York Nursery and Child’s Hospital, which was the first pediatrics established in 1854 in the United States of America (USA); and the fact that preventive medicine gained importance from the 20^th century in terms of pediatrics and it was recognized that preventing diseases before diseases developed was more important than treatment, and the establishment of the first puericulture (pediatric hygiene) divisions…

While reporting the developments between the new order and Constitutional Monarchy, Dr. Tümay emphasizes that pediatrics continued to develop as an area among the area of gynecology and internal medicine and Nafiz Pasha and Besim Ömer Pasha were two Turkish doctors who conducted scientific studies in the area of pediatrics in this period. According to Dr. Tümay, Besim Ömer Pasha was the physician who was interested in child diseases and childcare in the time from the end of this period to the establishment of the Republic. Besim Ömer Pasha wrote valuable works related to childcare and child raising while working as a master in the obstetrics clinic in the old Darülfünun Medical Faculty. Dr. Tümay gives the books’ names chronologically and mentions that Dr. Besim Ömer had an important place in the history of pediatrics, as well as in the history of Turkish history of medicine.

Sıhhatnumai etfal (recommendations for health of children) (1303) 1887, Sıhhatnumai aile (recommendations for health of families) (1304) 1888, Sıhhatnümai nevzat (recommendations for health of newborns) (1313) 1896, küçük çocuklara dair (about young children) (Şeririyatı vilâdiye) (Obstetrics clinic) (1312) 1895, Zayıf vakitsiz doğan çocuklara takayyüdat (Care of children born prematurely and weak) (1314) 1898, Çocuk sıhhati (Child Health) (Veraset, meme verme, emzirme, çocuklarda sirayeti emraz, sıraca, çiçek, kızıl ve saire) (Genetics, nursing, breastfeeding, transmission of diseases in children, scrofula, chickenpox, scarlet fever etc.) (1309) 1893, Çocuklara aş (Food for children) (1313) 1897, Tabibi etfal (Pediatrician) (1314) 1898, Yeni doğan çocuklara bakmak (Care of newborns) (Doğururken ve doğurduktan sonra) (at the time of delivery and after delivery) (1320) 1904, İrzahane (Nursery) (1319) 1903, Memedeki çocuklarda vefiyat (deaths in breastfed infants) (1322) 1906, Nevzat (Fenni vilâde) (Obstetrics) “1316–1339” (1923) Çocuklara dair sıhhi ve içtimai teşkilât ve tesisat (Medical and social organization and facilities related to children) (1925) Nüfus siyaseti (Population politics): Küçük çocuklarda vefiyat (Deaths in young children) (1339) 1923, Fenni izdivaç (Science of marriage) (1340) 1924, Gebelik (Pregnancy) (1318–1340) 1924, Çocuk büyütmek (Raising a child) (1925).”

Dr. Tümay informs that the second physician who would take part in the history of pediatrics before and during the period of the Constitutional Monarchy, was Professor Kadri Raşit Anday: “Our master Kadri Raşit Paşa who studied in İstanbul until the 3^rd grade of school of medicine, fled to Paris in 1894 and graduated from Paris Medical Faculty in 1901 after working there for 7 years. Our master, who showed close interest to physiology and pediatrics during his education, was assigned as master of physiology in the Civil Medical School in 1901, a short time after he returned to İstanbul and continued this duty until 1909. At the same time, he voluntarily attended to the ward of “abandoned children” in Darülâceze (Hospice), which was the most important pediatric institution of its time, and he was given the military rank of Pasha as a reward for this work. During his physiology mastership, he also taught pediatrics on an outpatient basis. Kadri Raşit Pasha who resigned from physiology mastership after the Constitutional Monarchy was assigned to the division of internal medicine in Etfal Hospital and started to engage in pediatrics more intensively.”

It is mentioned that the two great developments in the history of pediatrics in Turkey before the Constitutional Monarchy were establishments of Etfal Hospital and Darülâceze (Hospice) Nursery. It is emphasized that this was the period when Etfal Hospital was opened in 1315 (1899) and started to admit patients because Hatice Sultan (the daughter of Sultan Abdülhamid) died of diphtheria, and the first pediatric sanatorium was established.

In the book, it is noted that pediatrics could not make progress in this period because of uncertainty and disturbances in internal politics, the Balkan War, and other wars. However, significant advances belonging to this period are expressed in the following lines: “Events related to pediatrics are not absent in this period. Etfal Hospital, which was initiated with a distinguished military staff, was handed over to civil physicians after the Constitutional Monarchy. This is the time of our master Kadri Raşit Pasha (1909–1917). One of the most important events in pediatrics in the Constitutional Monarchy period was the opening of the pediatric ward containing 20 beds in Gureba Hospital, which could be considered the first modern pediatrics clinic in Turkey. This ward, which opened on April 22, 1330, with the personal effort of Dr. Raif Yesari who was one of Kadri Raşit Pasha’s assistants and under the auspices of his relative Hayri Bey, who was the minister of the pious foundations, could unfortunately not live for a long time and was closed during the time when the faculty was first transferred to İstanbul (1340–1924) because of lack of space …., …. Emrazı Etfal “Childrens’ Diseases” chair continued education only theoretically in the beginning. The pediatrics clinic was opened only after proclamation of the Republic in the academic year of 1924–1925. This first pediatrics clinic, which was established at the time when the faculty was transferred to İstanbul, was composed of ten beds sheltered in a small part of Kadırga Obstetrics Clinic; this clinic, which was forced to settle in a toilet hallway with the same narrow staff because of lack of space after the faculty returned back to Haydarpaşa, could expand a little after a while when it took the place of the Dermatology Outpatient Clinic …., …. The establishment of the Society for the Protection of Children (Himayei Etfal) meant the opening of a new era in our history of pediatrics. This society, which was established with the efforts of Besim Ömer Pasha, Tevfik Âmir, Ahmet Muhtar and their friends on August 15, 1920, for the first time in İstanbul, is considered the beginning of social protection of children in our country. Hence, it opened the Mild Drop Foundation in Beyazıt to start with and contributed considerably to the normal growth and nutrition of children of poor families who needed protection. The institution, which was transferred to Ankara on June 30, 1921, continued its works during the most critical days of the Turkish War of Independence and significantly helped in terms of the care and raising of children of male and female Anatolian people who fought for the sake of independence.”

Dr. Tümay proposes that the republic period was the most productive period for pediatrics. He noted that pediatrics, which was included in gynecology and obstetrics and internal medicine in this period, should be a separate area in his scientific studies and publications. It is emphasized that the government in that period opened the “first pediatric dispensary of Turkey” in Ankara in 1921 following all insistence (March 21, 1921). Dr. Tümay states that the Pediatrics Clinic was opened by the Ministry of Health of that period and its pediatrician was Dr. İhsan Hilmi Bey, who worked in the area of pediatrics in France and Germany for years. In those years, the first book related to childcare that was specific for pediatrics was published in addition to these advancements and subjects that were translated from foreign publications were transformed to books. The first pediatrics medical journal was published in 1934 and the first Turkish Pediatrics Congress was organized in 1938 during the “VII National Turkish Medical Congress.” A pediatrics ward composed of 25 beds was included to “Haydarpaşa Numune Hospital,” which had been opened in Haydarpaşa in place of the old Medical Faculty hospitals; the kindergarten belonging to the “Society for the Protection of Children” in Keçiören was expanded by establishing a large infant division named “Umay division;” İzmir Behçet Uz Children’s Hospital containing 150 beds was opened with the benevolence of Dr. Behçet Uz, who was the Mayor of Izmir; and the pediatric ward in Haseki Women’s Hospital was primarily augmented to 40 beds, and a new division containing 100 beds was added subsequently.

As stated by Dr. Tümay in his book, the establishment of Ankara University and thus the Medical Faculty Pediatrics Clinic (1946) led to new developments in our pediatrics and pioneered in terms of raising many physicians for our country. The fact that the ten-year program of the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance planned establishing many children’s hospitals shows the importance given to pediatric health. By this means, it was aimed to reduce the child mortality rate. According to Dr. Tümay, efforts were made to strengthen the place of children in our society with “the Society for the Protection of Children,” kindergartens becoming widespread in all provinces, along with nurseries, milk drops, and maternity wards. Dr. Tümay explains this status that was open to development as follows: Turkish pediatrics shows a progress that is compatible with the development of the world’s development in medicine. It is certain that this development will increase gradually each day considering the importance of children in the area of life.

The Bibliography part at the end of the book includes 18 references that were used. These references are as follows:

1. A. B. Marfan – L’enseignement de la Pediatrie a la Faculte de Medecine de Paris. La chaire d’Hygiene et de Clinique de la premiere enfance. Clinique des Maladies de la Premiere Enfance. Premiere Seri p. 1.1931

2. A. Süheyl Ünver – Tıp Tarihi, 1938 (Matbaai Ebüzziya).

3. A. Süheyl Ünver – Türk Tababeti Tarihi (10 asır evvel Türk hekimlerinin kıymeti 1933), (Ahmet İhsan Matbaası)

4. A. Süheyl Ünver – Hekim Şabani Şifai ve Ömer Hayyamın Fikirleri, (Türk Tıp Tarihi Arkivi, Cilt 3, No.9) 1938.

5. A. Süheyl Ünver ve Nur Tenik – Gevrek Zade Hafız Hasan (Çocuk hastalıkları eserinde şahsi müşahedeleri), (Türk Tıp Tarihi arkivi, cilt 4, No.15) 1940.

6. A. Süheyl Ünver – Vesim Abbas Efendi (Tıp Tarihi Dersleri) 1943.

7. A. Süheyl Ünver – Mustafa Behçet Efendi (Hekimbası).

8. Gevrek Zade Hafız Hasan- Neticetülfikriye fi tedbiri velâdetülbikriye (1212:1797) el yazılısı. (Üniversite Kütüphanesi, Yıldız Tıp kitapları No. 282).

9. Hamid Osman – Çocuk Hastalıkları, 1924 (Kader Matbaası).

10. Hüseyin Remzi- Tarihi Tıb, 1304 (Karabet ve Kaspar Matbaası).

11. İhsan Hilmi Alantar – Türkiye’de Pediatrinin Durumu, (Çocuk Kliniği, cilt: 3. Sayı: 2-3) 1937.

12. Mustafa Behçet (Hekimbaşı) – Etfali Radia illetlerine Dair (El yazısı), (İstanbul Üniversitesi kitaphanesi, Yıldız Tıp Kitapları No.7045).

13. Nafiz bin Hakkı (Mirliva) – Emrazı Etfal, (Despine ve Picotte tercümesi) 1306, (Matbaai Askeri).

14. Nizamil Aruzi (Semerkantli Türk hekimi ve âlimi) – Tıp ilmi ve Meşhur Hekimlerin Mahareti (Türkçe tercümesi) Mütercimi: Abdülkadir Gölpınarlı, Yayınlayan: A. Süheyl Ünver, 1936.

15. Osman Şevki (Bursalı)- Türk Tababeti Tarihi, 1925 (Matbaai Âmire).

16. Saim Ahmet Erkun (Ürolog-Operatör – Türk Tababeti Tarihine Genel Bir Bakış, 1935. (Şirketi Mürettibiye Matbaası).

17. Şabanı Şifai bin Ahmet- Kitabı Tedbiri Mevlut. (İstanbul Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Tıp Tarihi Enstitüsü, Yazma tıp kitapları koleksiyonu).

18. Şemsettin Günaltay – Buharalı İbnisina (İbnisina: Milliyeti, hayatı, kültürü), Türk Tarih Kurumu yayınlarından, s. 5, 1937. Deuxieme congres Balcanique de la protection de l’enfance. La protection de ı’enfance rurale.1938, Ankara “Turquie”.

Discussion

In the scope of the studies in the area of history of medicine in our country, the introduction of books that were published in old times and are out of print, but can be found only in used-book bazaars, and examination of these books by giving summary info about their contents, is an important issue. As stated in our article, the book titled “A General Outlook on the History of Pediatrics” written by Professor Sezai Bedrettin Tümay, who contributed to the development of pediatrics in the period after the establishment of the Republic in Turkey, exists in the archive of Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of History of Medicine and Ethics. In the review of this book, which has historical importance, a brief summary of the book’s content together with the book’s record is presented in addition to the author’s brief biography. Texts belonging to some of the book’s sections are presented by adapting them to the current Turkish language without harming the originality. Considering the scarcity of specific references related to the history of specialties in medicine, the importance of this book increases further. By means of this book, which examines the developmental stages of pediatrics in the history of humanity throughout the world and in Turkey, using a certain bibliography series, we are informed of the developmental stages of pediatrics. The book has been forgotten in the historical texture because it was not published again after the first edition (1948). When evaluated in this sense, reviewing the book with current techniques and clinical information, developing its content by an author or author team, making it more understandable with the Turkish language that we use today, and bringing it together with readers, will contribute to the literature of history of medicine both for the Western and Eastern worlds, and to the Turkish history of medicine literature after the establishment of the Republic.