[Professor Jiri Syllaba: life and achievements of an honorary member of the Polish Society of Internal Medicine].

Professor Jiri Syllaba, an eminent Czech internist, was born on March 14, 1902 in Prague. He graduated from the Medical Faculty of the Charles University in 1926, and became an assistant at the Institute of Physiology in Prague. He carried out his research in Cambridge, London and Paris (1928-29). He was interested in blood gases and acid-base equilibrium. In 1935, he completed his habilitation thesis on cardiac output. After another period of research in Paris, he continued his work at the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine in Prague. During the Second World War, Professor Jiri Syllaba was arrested and imprisoned in the nazi camp. After war, he became the head of the 2nd Department of Internal Medicine at the Charles University. He worked at this post for 25 years, and further he worked in Diabetic Outpatient Clinic until 1992. Professor Jiri Syllaba is an author of 7 books, 250 papers and 80 congress abstracts. His research were focused on several aspects of internal medicine including diabetic coma and nephropathy. Professor Jiri Syllaba was granted the honorary membership of the Polish Society of Internal Medicine on October 16, 1970. Since early years of his professional carrier, he has being cooperating with Polish internists.