Heritage of Stanisław Ostrowski - the only one medical doctor who became state Polish President - Patriae Semper Fidelis

Abstract

Aim: Our purpose was to write a biography of Stanisław Ostrowski that would address in the first place the medical aspect of his professional life, with a comprehensive approach of others fields of his activity.

Methods: We essentially grounded the paper on primary resources that were papers authored by Ostrowski including his scientific publications, memories, speeches as well as contemporaneous official documents that referred to Ostrowski. Second resources were also used to double check some data from primary resources and to place the biography of Stanisław Ostrowski in a proper background with special care to social, professional and political context. In this study, second resources comprised papers, that were prepared after the death of Stanisław Ostrowski.

Results: Stanisław Ostrowski, MD was a meticulous military medical doctor with an academic engagement at the King John Casimir University of Lvov. In addition, he was an excellent organizer, who soon got involved in politics to serve the local community with essential projects in public health particularly anti-tuberculosis campaigns in Lvov district. His quiet and proficient nature made him an ideal statesman with incredible skills to reconcile social, national and political enemies. Ostrowski was elected a member of parliament three times. He also held the position of President of the city of Lvov until World War Two. During the war, he was imprisoned and deported to Siberia, Soviet Union, in years 1939-1941. Subsequently he fought against Nazi Germans in the Polish II Corps. Ostrowski survived the war providing medical service in the various military units. Afterwards, he ran his medical practice in the UK. Stanisław Ostrowski was the only dermatologist who became a state president. He held an office of state president of the Polish Republic on exile in London.

Discussion and conclusion: His life is not a simple story, but a great lesson that provides clear guidelines how to find a stable ground for lifetime being a medical doctor in the turbulent times of the 20th century even during wartime.

Keywords: Lvov; Poland; cutaneous tuberculosis; medical military service; state president; syphilis.

Figure 1

Stanisław Ostrowski - medical doctor and scientist at academic work at the King John Casimir’s University in Lvov (President Stanisław Ostrowski’s Family Collection- with permission of Jan Ostrowski).

Figure 2

Associate Professor Stanisław Ostrowski (the fourth from the left side of the photo, a gentleman with municipal chain of Lvov president on the right hand of President of Polish Republic Ignacy Mościcki -the man in the middle directly under the painting of King Casimir the third the Great) within delegation of city of Lvov Knights’ Hall in the Royal Castle in Warsaw on 13th September, 1936 (From prewar news paper Illustrated Daily [Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny]. Courtesy of of National Digital Archives in War-saw).

Figure 3

Military medical doctor Stanisław Ostrowski in an uniform of an officer of Polish Second Corps during World War Two (President Stanisław Ostrowski’s Family Collection - with permission of Jan Ostrowski).

Figure 4

President Stanisław Ostrowski President of Polish Republic on Exile - portrait photo. (President Stanisław Ostrowski’s Family Collection - with courtesy and permission of Jan Ostrowski).

Figure 5

Stanisław Ostrowski President of Polish Republic on Exile on the day of presidential oath and taking an office of the Head of the State on 9th April 1972. Courtesy of Archiwum Akt Nowych in Warsaw.