Rokitansky, Carl Freiherr von#
Rokitansky, Baron Carl von, b. Hradec Králove, Czech Republic, (then Koeniggraetz), Feb. 19, 1804, d. Vienna, July 23, 1878, physician, renowned pathologist. 1844 professor at the University of Vienna, 1850-1878 president of the Society of Physicians, 1869-1878 president of the Academy of Sciences, 1870 president of the Supreme Medical Council. Together with J. Škoda R. created a system of diseases, still valid today, based on the exact description of medical results, and a new language for pathologists. was the first to establish certain types of diseases and founded the objective branch of the Vienna School of Medicine; established experimental pathology and pathological anatomy as independent fields of study. In contrast to R. Virchow he claimed that the blood was responsible for localized organic diseases as well as for systemic diseases (doctrine of crases and blastema).
Works#
Handbuch der patholog. Anatomie, 3 vols., 1842-1846; Lehrbuch der allg. Pathologie und patholog. Anatomie, 1855; Der selbstaendige Wert des Wissens, 1867.Literature#
R. L. Heschl, Aus dem Leben R., 1900; E. Lesky, Die Wr. Medizin. Schule, 21978; P. Wiench (ed.), Die grossen Aerzte, 1982.