Od broni chemicznej do chemioterapii. Badania polskich lekarzy nad iperytem azotowym w latach 1947–1952
From Chemical Weapons to Chemotherapy: Polish Medical Research on Nitrogen Mustard (1947–1952)
Author(s): Renata PaligaSubject(s): History, Sociology, Local History / Microhistory, Recent History (1900 till today), History of Education, Health and medicine and law, WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), Post-War period (1950 - 1989)
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: nitrogen mustard; chemotherapy; clinical trials; history of science; physicians
Summary/Abstract: In 1946, American authorities informed the international community about the anticancer properties of nitrogen mustard, a substance classified as a chemical warfare agent (CWA). Mustard gas quickly attracted the attention of physicians worldwide, and medical journals soon began publishing reports describing clinical trials involving this compound. In Poland, research into the effects of nitrogen mustard (also known in Polish as nitrogranulogen) on the human body began as early as 1947. Most of the trials were conducted in Krakow by research teams led by Julian Aleksandrowicz.This article analyzes the studies conducted by Polish physicians on the effects of nitrogen mustard on the human body and traces the evolving views on its potential use in the treatment of various diseases between 1947 and 1952. It also highlights the contribution of Polish doctors to the advancement of global oncology and other medical sciences in the 20th c.
Journal: Kwartalnik Historii Nauki i Techniki
- Issue Year: 2025
- Issue No: 3
- Page Range: 155-192
- Page Count: 38
- Language: Polish
