Vol 54, No 2 (2020)
Published online: 2020-02-26

open access

Page views 890
Article views/downloads 861
Get Citation

Connect on Social Media

Connect on Social Media

Edward Flatau (1868–1932) — world-leading pioneer of neurology and neurosurgery

Seweryna Konieczna12, Dariusz Koziorowski3
Pubmed: 32101323
Neurol Neurochir Pol 2020;54(2):211-216.

Abstract

Polish neurology and neurosurgery owe a very great deal to Edward Flatau. He was a pioneer of these disciplines in Poland whose influence extends worldwide, and we recently celebrated the 150th anniversary of his birth. Edward Flatau’s grandson, an outstanding physicist who has been living in San Diego in the USA for many years, has published a book ‘Edward Flatau and his comet: beginnings of Polish neurology’. Its promotion took place in the Flatau hometown of Płock in Poland.

In 1894, Edward Flatau published his notable work: ‘Atlas of the human brain and the trajectory of fibres’, the result of arduous work on brain sections and images that were captured with an especially designed camera. These photographs caused a publishing sensation at the end of the 19th century. The atlas was published in German and almost immediately translated into Polish, Russian, French and English. The most distinguished work of Edward Flatau was his great 1912 study of migraine headaches entitled ‘Migraine’, which has still not become out-of-date and is regularly quoted in international literature today.

Article available in PDF format

View PDF Download PDF file

References

  1. Hanecki M, et al. Polish Medical Weekly. ; 1969: 940–941.
  2. Hanecki M, et al. Physicians and scientists with Jewish ancestry in development of medical sciences. Bulletin of Jewish Historical Institute. 1972; 81: 103.
  3. Herman E, et al. History of Polish neurology, V. XCVII. Gdańsk: Polish Academy of Sciences – Institute of History of Science, Education and Technique, Ossolineum. ; 1975: 186.
  4. Eisenberg U. Germany contacts in: Edward Flatau and his comet, The beginnings of polish neurology edited by P. J. Flataua, F. Marcinkowskiego, U. Eisenberg limited edition on Science Conference in Plock. ; 2018: 67.
  5. Higier H, et al. Edward Flatau as clinician, scientist and social activist (post-mortem associations). Allocution on festive Funeral Academy in Warsaw Medical Society, 25th of October 1932, Warsaw. ; 1932: 7.
  6. Herman E, et al. Polish neurologists, Warsaw: National Institute of Medical Publisher. ; 1958: 208–209.
  7. Herman E, et al. Polish neurologists, Warsaw: National Institute of Medical Publisher. ; 1958: 207–209.
  8. Flatau E, Sawicki B. The reason to experimental surgery in area of peripheral nerves, Warsaw, Medical Paper 1900;38:996-999, Medical Paper. 1900; 38: 996–999.
  9. Lisowski W. , Propagators of Polish medicine volume 2, Warszawa, Publisher Bellona. ; 2008: 152.
  10. Domżał TM. , About Neurology – in history, essays and lectures, Lublin, Publisher Czelej. ; 2017: 54–55.
  11. Celnik H. Prominent diagnosticians: Samuel Goldflam, Joseph F. F. Babinski, Edward Flatau. The beginnings of neurological thoughts – in: The profession of laboratory diagnostician and feldsher on Polish land in 19th and 20th century – Urbanek B. , The Institute of History of Science - Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw. ; 2011: 203–204.
  12. Herman E, et al. Polish neurologists, Warsaw: National Institute of Medical Publisher. ; 1958: 213–214.
  13. Gutowski J. Journal of Medical Biography. ; 24(1): 101–109.
  14. Flatau E, Sawicki B. , The reason to experimental surgery in area of peripheral nerves, Warsaw, Medical Paper. 1900; 38: 999–1001.
  15. Oppenheim H Dystonia musculorum deformans) „Neurologisches Zentralblatt” 30, s 1090. 1107; 1911.
  16. Flatau E, Sterling W. Progressiver Torsionsspasmus bei Kindern. Zeitschrift für die gesamte Neurologie und Psychiatrie. 1911; 7(1): 586–612.
  17. Albanese A. How Many Dystonias? Clinical Evidence. Front Neurol. 2017; 8: 18.
  18. Flatau E. , Publisher of Warsaw Scientific Society, Warsaw. ; 1912: 264–282.
  19. Domżał TM. Szkoła Łódzka w: 4. Eisenberg U., Germany contacts in: Edward Flatau and his comet, the beginning in polish neurology pod red. P. J. Flataua, F. Marcinkowskiego, U. Eisenberg, limited edition on Science Conference in Plock. ; 2018: 162.
  20. Herman E, et al. Polish neurologists, Warsaw: National Institute of Medical Publisher. ; 1958: 219.
  21. Herman E, et al. Polish neurologists, Warsaw: National Institute of Medical Publisher. ; 1958: 216.
  22. Kaya Y, Akkoyunlu G, Sarikcioglu L. Edward Flatau (1868-1932) and his eponym. Childs Nerv Syst. 2015; 31(11): 1995–1997.
  23. Eponims. http://www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/318.html.