Wenzel Trnka von Krzowitz - Physician across the Habsburg Empire

Wenzel Trnka von Krzowitz (1739-1791), born in Tabor, was one of the most prominent figures of modern university medical education in Hungarian Kingdom, which was established by Gerhard van Swieten. He founded the first Hungarian medical faculty, and it was Václav Trnka who was personally selected as professor of anatomy. During his career as a professor, he wrote a considerable number of works that made him famous in medical circles throughout Europe. However, this renowned physician has fallen into obscurity over time and his personality is now almost unknown. The aim of this thesis is to describe the crucial aspects of his life utilizing fragment analysis and thus provide a closer understanding of his life circumstances. The second part of the thesis focuses on the analysis of his works in comparison with contemporary knowledge, but also by placing them in a contemporary context. Keywords: medicine, Hungarian Kingdom, medical faculty, Václav Trnka of Křovice, Gerhard van Swieten, sciatica, malaria, tetanus, diabetes, haemorrhoids, Semmelweis university, University of Trnav