János Balassa Explained

János Balassa
Birth Date:1814
Death Date:1868
Nationality:Hungarian, Austrian-Hungarian
Known For:Surgery, Cardiac resuscitation (CPR)

János Balassa (1815–1868) was a surgeon, university professor, and one of the leading personalities of the Hungarian medical society at the time. He was also an internationally recognized authority within the field of plastic surgery.[1] Professor of Surgery (1843-) at the University of Pest (Hungary).[2]

János Balassa was a pioneer of cardiac resuscitation (CPR) and carried out the first reported case of external heart massage.[3]

In the aftermath of the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1848 where Hungary sought independence from the Austrian Empire, he was temporarily removed from his professorship and imprisoned by the Habsburg authorities.[4]

Balassa was Ignaz Semmelweis's colleague and house doctor.[1] He was in the medical commission[5] that referred Semmelweis to a mental institution, other members were János Bókai and Wagner.[6]

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Benedek 1983b:107
  2. Benedek 1983a: caption to plate 10.
  3. 6357583 . 6 . The first reported case of external heart massage (János Balassa) . 1983 . Clin Cardiol . 569, 571 . Robicsek . F . Littmann . L . 11 . 10.1002/clc.4960061110. free .
  4. Carter 2005:68
  5. translated from German: Ärztekonsilium
  6. Benedek 1983a:292