Teodor Teofil Matecki (25 April 1810 – 15 May 1886) was a Polish physician, social activist and member of Poznań Society of Friends of Learning. He died in his home town of Poznań.

Early life

Matecki was born in Poznań and educated at the Mary Magdalene High School which was the oldest secondary school in Poznań, founded at the beginning of 14th century. Nevertheless, he decided to quit school in order to take part in the

November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...

. He was awarded for his bravery afterwards but the Prussian authorities punished him for the participation in the uprising by sentencing him to three months in prison. He achieved a secondary school certificate in 1833 in Wrocław and started his medicine studies at the university therein. He received the degree of doctor of medicine in 1837 and then he fulfilled his residency in Berlin. He went to live in Poznań the following year.

Career

He linked his work as a doctor with social, national and political activities. He tried to follow

Karol Marcinkowski Karol Marcinkowski (23 June 1800 in Posen, Kingdom of Prussia, today Poznań in Poland–6 November 1846) was a Polish physician, social activist in the Greater Poland region (also called the Grand Duchy of Posen), supporter of the basic educ ...

by helping the destitute. Meanwhile, he collaborated with an underground movement that was preparing an uprising in

Greater Poland Greater Poland, often known by its Polish name Wielkopolska (; german: Großpolen, sv, Storpolen, la, Polonia Maior), is a Polish historical regions, historical region of west-central Poland. Its chief and largest city is Poznań followed ...

. His main task included storing medicaments. He was captured in 1846 and sent to prisons in Poznań, Sonnenburg, Hausvogtei and Moabit. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison and a fine but the revolution that took place in 1848 set him free. He established hospitals in Śrem, Września and

Miłosław Miłosław (german: Liebenstädt) is a town in Września County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, with 3,627 inhabitants. A battle between Polish insurgents and Prussian forces took place there during the Greater Poland Uprising of 1848 in t ...

(where insurgents were treated). In 1848-1849 Matecki played a significant role in fighting epidemic of

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

. He also engaged himself in helping the wounded later on, especially during the

January Uprising The January Uprising ( pl, powstanie styczniowe; lt, 1863 metų sukilimas; ua, Січневе повстання; russian: Польское восстание; ) was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at ...

over a dozen years later. After the year 1848 he was active as a doctor and popularizer of science. He belonged to a number of scientific associations. He was author of numerous articles concerning medicine as well as

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

, physics, mathematics and astronomy.

Personal life

He was married to Apolonia née Szuman from 1840.

References

* Witold Jakóbczyk, ''Przetrwać na Wartą 1815-1914'', ''Dzieje narodu i państwa polskiego'', vol. III-55, Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, Warszawa 1989 {{DEFAULTSORT:Matecki, Teodor Teofil 1810 births 1886 deaths Physicians from Poznań 19th-century Polish physicians November Uprising participants People from the Grand Duchy of Posen Poles - political prisoners in the Prussian partition Polish social activists of the Prussian partition