Tag #136814 - Interview #78481 (Samuel Izsak)

In Szeben I got acquainted with Professor Valeriu Lucian Bologa, a brilliant scientist of European mentality. I liked his lectures on the history of medicine. Although we were compelled to attend all the lectures, I loved this one because I liked history. I developed a closer relationship with the professor, and after I finished my studies in Szeben he asked me whether I would like to work in Kolozsvar at the history of medicine chair. I told him I didn’t really know anything about the history of medicine. We learned very little about it. He said, ‘You know what? I will give you some studies on the history of medicine, you read them and then you decide whether you would like to do it or not.’ A month later, after I had read those studies, I went to him and told him I liked the history of medicine, and I would gladly work at the chair. ‘But there could be a problem’, I told him. ‘What’s that?’, he asked. ‘Professor, Sir, I’m a Jew. This could hinder me in the future.’ He said, ‘Well, son, I don’t care what you are, the most important thing is for you to love what you do and be fair and honest.’ So from 1945 right until the death of the professor, that is until my retirement in 1981, I worked at the history of medicine chair in Kolozsvar. I’m the apprentice and successor of Professor Valeriu Lucian Bologa, I took over the professor’s lectures at the university as an officially appointed professor of history of medicine .