[The 100th anniversary of the birth of the phthisiatrist Jonas Runkevicius].

In 2002 phthisiologist J. Runkevicius turned 100 years of age. Associate professor doctor J. Runkevicius (1902-1966) was the first in midwar Lithuania to commence epidemiological investigations of tuberculosis and continued them all his life. Having graduated from the Vytautas Magnus university, from 1933 to 1937 he worked as a physician at the Kaunas Red Cross tuberculosis sanatorium and in 1937-1940 as a head physician at dr. K. Grinius sanatorium of the Society for the fight against tuberculosis. In 1938-1939 he improved his skills at the tuberculosis treating institutions in Switzerland and Finland. In 1940-1941 and 1944-1945. J. Runkevicius was a head physician of the Alytus national tuberculosis hospital and in 1944-1945--chief of the health care department in the Alytus district, too. After his studies J. Runkevicius began his scientific researches. The object of his research was teachers of primary schools, their infectiosity with tuberculosis, and the dependence of morbidity with tuberculosis on the living conditions. Dr. J. Runkevicius generalized his researchers in his thesis "Tuberculosis in bourgeois Lithuania according to clinical roentgenelogical examination data of consecutive groups", maintained at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius university in 1949. Since 1945 up till his death in 1966, Dr. J. Runkevicius has been working at the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University, chair of therapy. In 1945-1946 concurrently he headed the Department of Tuberculosis of the Ministry of Health. In 1947-1949 he was a deputy dean of the Faculty of Medicine. While being a lecturer of Vilnius university, Dr. J. Runkevicius also worked as head of the organizational-methodic department of the National scientific research institute of tuberculosis. Doc. Dr. J. Runkevicius was one of the first phthisiotherapists in Lithuania who made every effort in the organization of preventive roentgenelogical examination of teachers and students with the view of diagnosing the cases of tuberculosis. Dr. J. Runkevicius supervised the scientific research work of physicians, he was written more than 30 papers. While working at the National scientific research institute of tuberculosis and Vilnius university, Dr. J. Runkevicius has done a lot in the fight against tuberculosis in Lithuania.