[The article elaborates on the untold chapters of nursing history in Hungary, based on research in archives. The situation of nursing in Hungary in the first half of the 20th century is described, when nursing and nursing education became issues of outstanding importance and secular nursing appeared alongside faith based nursing. Several nursing organisations worked to address the unacceptable situation of nursing and strove to raise the status of nursing so as to allow this self-sacrificing vocation to take its rightful place in society. The tools to achieve this goal included providing professional education and training, creating professional literature and safeguarding nurses’ interests. The Hungarian National Association of Female and Male Nurses that came into being as a grass-root organisation in 1902, and its president, József Michalicza, an unreasonably forgotten figure in Hungarian secular nursing were instrumental in pursuing these goals. The article also mentions several dedicated figures in Hungarian nursing history, due to whose commitment Hungarian nurses were represented in the International Council of Nurses from 1933 until the interference of politics. ]

[The healing of the sick was brought to our country by the monks, along with the Christian faith. The first physicians came from the Order of St Benedict, which had a rule for the care of the sick (Cura infirmorum). This monastic medicine! came from the West. The secular doctors appeared in our country around the reign of Béla III, and their skill was often rewarded by princely grants. This is evidenced by numerous surviving contracts of sale in which they are listed as buyers. ]

[Up-to-date wound care is a kind of teamwork that requires modern bandage, a high degree of theoretical knowledge and a strong sense of vocation. The authors describe the complete healing of a patient’s diabetic foot ulcer with all these three factors present. Patients suffering from all the complications of diabetes can often have faith only in the dedicated medical staff. An old patient having almost lost his vision can be treated successfully for diabetic foot ulcer in the period of 11 months due to modern wound management and vascular surgery. With the presentation of this case the authors wish to emphasise the need for devoting more time to medical training concerning modern wound care, and to improve the psychological management of the affected patient. ]