[Professor Wacław Kuśnierczyk (1908-1997)--Pro Memoria in the century of birthday].

Wacław Kuśnierczyk was born in 1908 in Sniatyń. He received the degree in medicine at Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów in 1932. He did his PhD degree under Professor Zaleski supervision in 1938 at Jan Kazimierz University. At that time he concentrated his scientific activity on research on tuberculosis. In 1953 he obtained the title of second degree specialist in ear, nose and throat diseases. He became a chief of Otolaryngology at Urban Hospital No 4 in Katowice in 1960. Since then this eminent physician was working on tumours located in upper respiratory tract and the possibility of its endoscopic diagnosis at Silesian Academy of Medicine in Katowice. As one of the first he pointed out the negative influence of smoking cigarettes on cancer of larynx. It was Wacław Kuśnierczyk who implemented new priorities for integrated programs in patient care, research, education and cancer prevention. He has published widely in peer reviewed journals and has edited or contributed to many books. He has given many major lectures and is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for his scientific accomplishments. The achievement of Professor Kuśnierczyk were the valuable source of information for the physicians. In 1997, on the 31st of January he died in Katowice.