Richard Kretz (12 May 1865 – 13 May 1920) was an Austrian

pathologist Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

born in

Bruck an der Mur Bruck an der Mur () is a city of some 15,970 people located in the district Bruck-Mürzzuschlag, in the Austrian state of Styria. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Mur and Mürz. Its manufacturing includes metal products and paper. ...

Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...

. He is remembered for pathological research involving regenerative and degenerative processes that take place in

liver The liver is a major metabolic organ (anatomy), organ exclusively found in vertebrates, which performs many essential biological Function (biology), functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the Protein biosynthesis, synthesis of var ...

cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...

. Kretz earned his medical doctorate at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

, and following graduation worked as assistant to

Hans Kundrat Hans Kundrat (6 October 1845 – 25 April 1893) was a pathologist born in Vienna, Austrian Empire. He studied medicine in Vienna, and as a student he was a demonstrator under Josef Hyrtl and Karl von Rokitansky. In 1868 he received his medica ...

(1845-1893) at the clinic for

pathological anatomy Anatomical pathology (''Commonwealth'') or anatomic pathology (''U.S.'') is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the gross examination, macroscopic, Histopathology, microscopic, biochemical, immu ...

in Vienna. In 1887 he received his

habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in Germany, France, Italy, Poland and some other European and non-English-speaking countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excelle ...

, and in 1893 relocated to

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, where he succeeded

Hans Chiari Hans Chiari ( , ; 4 September 1851 − 6 May 1916) was a pathologist from Vienna, Austria-Hungary. He was the son of gynecologist Johann Baptist Chiari (1817–1854) and the brother of otorhinolaryngologist Ottokar Chiari (1853–1918). Biograp ...

(1851-1916) as professor of pathology. From 1910 to 1913 he was professor of pathology at the

University of Würzburg The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg (also referred to as the University of Würzburg, in German ''Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg'') is a public research university in Würzburg, Germany. Founded in 1402, it is one of the ol ...

Written works

* ''Ein Fall von Syringomyelie'' (1890) – A case of

syringomyelia Syringomyelia is a generic term referring to a disorder in which a cyst or cavity forms within the spinal cord. Often, syringomyelia is used as a generic term before an etiology is determined. This cyst, called a syrinx, can expand and elongate ...

. * ''Uber einen Fall von Tuberculose des weiblichen Genitalcanales, combinirt mit Aträsie der Vagina'' (1891) – Involving a case of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

of the female genital canals, combined with

vaginal atresia Vaginal atresia is a condition in which the vagina is abnormally closed or absent. The main causes can either be complete vaginal hypoplasia, or a vaginal obstruction, often caused by an imperforate hymen or, less commonly, a transverse vaginal sep ...

. * ''Circumscripte Keratose im Larynx'' (1891) – Circumscribed

keratosis Keratosis (from '' kerat-'' + '' -osis'') is a growth of keratin on the skin or on mucous membranes stemming from keratinocytes, the prominent cell type in the epidermis. More specifically, it can refer to: * actinic keratosis (also known as solar ...

in the

larynx The larynx (), commonly called the voice box, is an organ (anatomy), organ in the top of the neck involved in breathing, producing sound and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. The opening of larynx into pharynx known as the laryngeal ...

. * ''Über Hypertrophie und Regeneration des Lebergewebes'', Wiener klin. Wochenschr. 1894, S. 365. - On hypertrophy and regeneration of liver tissue. * ''Hämosiderin-Pigmentirung der Leber und Lebercirrhose'', 1896 –

Hemosiderin Hemosiderin image of a kidney viewed under a microscope. The brown areas represent hemosiderin Hemosiderin or haemosiderin is an iron-storage complex that is composed of partially digested ferritin and lysosomes. The breakdown of heme gives ri ...

pigmentation A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly insoluble and chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored substances which are soluble or go in ...

involving the liver and liver cirrhosis. * ''Ueber Lebercirrhose'', 1899 – On liver cirrhosis.WorldCat Identities
(publications)

References

University of Wurzburg Pathological Institute, Historical Directors- Richard Kretz
Das geistige Wien
by Ludwig Eisenberg and Richard Kroner (biographical information)

External links

American Medicine, Volume 11
Cirrhosis of the liver and associated conditions by Aller G. Ellis. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kretz, Richard 1865 births 1920 deaths People from Bruck an der Mur Pathologists from Austria-Hungary Academic staff of the University of Würzburg Academic staff of Charles University Physicians from Austria-Hungary