Sanitary Conditions in the Ghetto of Nyíregyháza, and the Temporary Jewish Hospital.

Abstract

In April 1944 a ghetto was organized in the center of the town Nyíregyháza (East-Hungary). The ghetto proved to be 17 580 people’s temporary residence for a whole month. The major problem was to ensure hygienic circumstances and prevent epidemics in the overcrowded area. A temporary hospital worked in the orthodox synagogue with a personnel consisting of 6 Jewish pharmacist and 39 doctors. The hospital functioned 35 days visited by daily ca. 100 people. During the period 254 patients were recorded, their average age was 58 years and they mostly suffered in chronic illnesses. The hospital was regarded as a shelter by a good number of patients. During the evacuation of the ghetto the increased stress and brutality caused a lot of deaths and abortions. Within this single month 32 people died and 10 was bom in the ghetto. At the same time during the war and also still in the afterwar period the lack of deported or killed Jewis physicians caused severe problems in the public health of the town and the whole county.