[Theodor Billroth and Johannes Brahms--friendship between two giants].

The study portrays the exceptional personality of Theodor Billroth and his friendship with Johannes Brahms. Billroth who laid the foundation of modern abdominal surgery by performing his pioneer operations was also an excellent musician and connoisseur of the arts. His enthusiasm for the music of Brahms and Brahms' respect for Billroth, his knowledge and musical instinct, were the basis of a mutual intensive relationship. The paper describes the productive period of a 30-year friendship of the two great men, presenting basic bibliographic data and an outline of their work.