“The primary major aim of the society is to promote the development of surgery and surgical sciences in Hungary. The secondary major aim is to protect the Members’ moral appreciation. Furthermore, the Society provides assistance for the Members in achieving their ethical and financial goals in accordance with the public interest. Tertiary major aim is to promote the clinical application of the home and foreign scientific achievements in the field of surgery.”
(Quotation from paragraph IV of the statutory document of the Hungarian Surgical Society)


“When every year we present the “Balassa prize” after the ceremonial talk of the winner, we have to keep in mind that all efforts will be needed to follow the scientific endeavours of the West. We cannot be isolated from the rest of the world. Isolation is harmful even for bigger nations. We have to make sure that we belong to the heart of Europe geographically as well as in our souls.”
(Quotation from the general assembly of the Hungarian Royal Association of Doctors held in October 15th 1906)