[Józef Koliński, physician and philanthropist, co-organizator of medical and hygienic movement in Lódź at the turn of 19th and 20th century]

The subject of this study is the activity of physician and philantropist Józef Kolliński MD (1852-1933). He completed his medical studies at Medical and Surgical Military Academy in St. Petersburg. After obtaining specialization in ophthalmology, he presented his doctor theses at Warsaw University and afterwards he was closely connected with Lódź. At the turn of 19th and 20th century Lódź was considered to be one of the most neglected cities of manufacturing industry in Russian sector of partitioned Poland. Initially, Józef Koliński was appointed in Lódź to the post of military physician. After that he worked in private practice and philantropy was a passion with him. Józef Koliński founded or he was a co-founder of the Medical Society of Lódź (1886) as well as the Lódź Division of the Warsaw Hygienic Society (1902), which appeared vital to the activities for public health. Medical care for children from poor workers families, the fight for Polish culture in schools of Lódź and taking part in establishing ophtalmology wards in local hospitals as well as journalism and research were also of great significance in Józef Koliński's work. In the last years of his life, afterwards Poland regained its independence in 1918, despite him being an elderly man, he was still professionally active. He enjoyed respect and trust from citizens of Lódź, whom he treated and for whom he was active in medical and social societies. He was still remembered in severeal years fellowing his death.