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Ivan GorbachevskiyUkrainian chemist, biochemist, hygienist and epidemiologist
Date of Birth: 05.05.1854
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Ivan Y. Horbaczewski: A Life of Scientific and Political Achievement
- Scientific Discoveries
- Academic Career
- Political Involvement
- Ukrainian Independence Movement
- Academic Legacy
- Awards and Recognition
- Death and Legacy
Ivan Y. Horbaczewski: A Life of Scientific and Political Achievement
Early Life and EducationIvan Y. Horbaczewski, a renowned Ukrainian chemist, biochemist, hygienist, and epidemiologist, was born on May 5, 1854, in the village of Zarubyntsi, Ukraine. After graduating from gymnasium in Ternopil in 1872, he pursued medical chemistry at the Medical Faculty of the University of Vienna.
Scientific Discoveries
In 1877, Horbaczewski graduated from university with distinction and embarked on scientific research in the Chemical and Physical Institutes in Vienna. His groundbreaking experiments in biological chemistry earned him widespread European recognition. Notably, in 1882, he became the first scientist to synthesize uric acid from glycine.
Academic Career
From 1883 to 1917, Horbaczewski served as Professor of Pharmacology at Charles University in Prague. Here, he continued his research, establishing the Institute of Medical Chemistry and Biology, which continues to operate today. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine four times and as Rector of Charles University from 1902 to 1903.
Political Involvement
Horbaczewski was also politically active. From 1906 to 1917, he was a member of the Highest State Sanitary Council in the Kingdom of Bohemia. In 1908, he joined the House of Lords of the Austro-Hungarian Parliament. During the World War I, he briefly served as the first Minister of Health of Austria-Hungary.
Ukrainian Independence Movement
After the war, Horbaczewski became an ardent supporter of Ukrainian independence. He co-founded the Ukrainian University Courses in 1919, which later became the Ukrainian Free University (USU). He served as Rector of USU from 1924 to 1940.
Academic Legacy
Horbaczewski's scientific contributions spanned biochemistry, hygiene, epidemiology, and toxicology. His four-volume textbook "Lekářská chemie," published between 1904 and 1908, remains a classic. He also played a significant role in promoting Ukrainian scientific terminology and establishing the Ukrainian Scientific Institute in Prague.
Awards and Recognition
Horbaczewski received numerous awards, including the Order of the Iron Crown, the highest honor in Austria-Hungary. He was a Fellow of the Royal Czech Scientific Society (later the Czech Academy of Sciences) and an Honorary Doctor of Law and Honorary Professor at USU.
Death and Legacy
Horbaczewski died on May 24, 1942, in Prague and is buried in the Small Cemetery of St. Matthew in Šárka, near Prague. His name has been bestowed on the Ternopil State Medical University and a school in his hometown.
