Tomb of Stanislav Provázek (Prowazek) of Lanov in Kamenice nad Lipou

The prominent physician, zoologist, microbiologist and parasitologist Stanislav Provázek of Lanov (1875-1915), who came from Jindřichův Hradec, was especially renowned for his discovery of the causative agent of epidemic typhus. It is a sad irony, that Provázek contracted the disease himself and died at a very young age. He was buried in the family tomb in the forest cemetery near Kamenice nad Lipou.

The scientific activity of Stanislav Provázek (Prowazek in German) was very rich and intense during his short life. This is evidenced not only by his research work related to the pathogenic effects of unicellular organisms, but also by his numerous publications. After studying zoology and botany at the German Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague, Provázek worked at several scientific institutions in Germany and deepened his research during numerous trips abroad. In Java, for example, he conducted research on syphilis with Albert Neisser, and on the infectious eye disease trachoma with Ludwig Halberstädter. From 1907 Provázek headed the zoological department of the Institute of Tropical Diseases in Hamburg. He published over 200 papers. One of his most important treatises, published in 1910, is entitled Einführung in die Physiologie der Einzelligen (Introduction to Protozoan Physiology).

During the Balkan wars, Provázek worked in Belgrade from 1913 and in Constantinople from 1914, where he discovered the causative agent of epidemic typhus - the human body louse. However, after moving to Chotěbuz (Cottbus in German) in January 1915, he contracted the disease himself in a Russian prison camp and soon died. The grave of Stanislav Prowazek is in the forest cemetery Bradlo near Kamenice nad Lipou. His remains were placed in the grave a year after his death in 1916.

Fürbach, F.: Pamětní deska Prof. Stanislava Provázka. In: Jindřichohradecký zpravodaj, listopad 2013, s. 9.

 

Hatschek, B.: Nachruf für Stanislaus v. Prowazek. In: Verhandlungen der kaiserlich-königlichen zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, sv. 65, 1915, s. 65–68.

 

Švejnoha, J.: Stanislav Prowazek (17.11.1875–17.2.1915). In: Kazuistiky v alergologii, pneumologii a ORL, 3/2011, s. 56–57. 

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