History and Presentation of the Romanian Hematology Society
The Romanian Hematology Society is a scientific association which aims to promote the practice and study of hematology and to facilitate contact between those interested in this medical field.
Hematology, as a medical field, has a well established tradition in our country. It has been initiated and developed at the same time as in other countries. The Romanian Hematology Society was founded in 1932 by I. Cantacuzino and is the second Hematology Society ever to be founded in Europe after the French Hematology Society (founded in 1931).
The activity of the Romanian Hematology Society has increased significantly in the last years, as well as its members’ number, currently totaling about 165.
The Objectives of the Romanian Hematology Society:
- to facilitate contact between those who are interested in hematology;
- scientific exchanges made possible during national and international meetings;
- publication of scientific papers in „Documenta haematologica” – the official publication of the RHS.
- consolidating medical knowledge by reviewing basic hematology notions.
- formulating guidelines for practicing hematology
- initiating multi-center clinical trials in order to optimize the treatment of various hematologic diseases.
We invite all our colleagues who are interested in hematology to join us by becoming full members of the Romanian Hematology Society. For more information regarding the registration procedure, please e-mail us at: srh.hematology (at) gmail.com
MISSION
The advancement of scientific knowledge and the promotion of medical and research activities in the field of hematology.
RHS JOURNAL
The purpose of "Documenta Haematologica" is to publish scientific papers from the field of hematology.
EVENTS
RHS frequently organizes conferences in order to disseminate information and to advance the level of scientific knowledge.
MEMBERS
RHS consists in members and foreign correspondents which have asserted themselves in the field of hematology.
Board of the Romanian Hematology Society
| Function | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Prof. Dr. Daniel Coriu |
| Vice-president | Dr. Sorina Badelita |
| Vice-president | Dr. Andrei Colita |
| Vice-president | Prof. Dr. Horia Bumbea |
| Vice-president | Dr. Ioana Ionita |
| Secretary | Dr. Radu Niculescu |
| Member | Prof. Dr. Anca Roxana Lupu |
| Member | Dr. Bojan Anca |
| Member | Dr. Tatic Aurelia |
| Member | Dr. Ciprian Tomuleasa |
| Member | Dr. Anca Vasilache |
| Member | Dr. Nicoleta Berbec |
| Member | Dr. Catalin Danaila |
| Member | Dr. Alina Tanase |
| Member | Dr. Iulia Ursuleac |
| Member | Dr. Mihnea Zdrenghea |
| Honorary President | Prof. Dr. Dan Colita |
HISTORY
Early Hematology
Hematology is a medical specialty situated at the border between medical and surgical specialties with common diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis problems. In order to be confirmed as a separate specialty, hematology went through a long and difficult road.
The early beginning of modern hematology was marked by Virchow’s first paper on leukemia – “ Zur Pathol. Physiologie des Blutes”- published in 1847;this paper contains the famous phrase “I claim a special place in pathology for the leukocyte”.
However, hematology needed more than half of century to be defined as a part of medical sciences. Renowned researchers (Ehrlich, Biermer, Addison, Kahler, Vaquez, Minkowski, etc.) contributed to the accumulation of hematology knowledge through their research and published papers. Haematology was defined as a separate specialty only after Landsteined &co. identified the blood groups.
In 1940, Pappenheim edits the first specialty publication in the world: „Folia Haematologica”, still being printed nowadays; in 1908 the same Pappenheim establishes in Berlin the first hematology society in the world: The Berlin Hematology Society (which functioned for only 3 years). During these early beginnings, Romanian scientist were present in the front rows; Hematology as a well-defined medical specialty, has a solid tradition in our country.
In 1902, Dr. Victor Babes published a paper describing the neoplastic nature of lymphoid leukemia “Neoplastische Leukemie” (Zbl. allg. Pathol)- in which he formulates an original and courageous theory for that time; under the influence of and together with Naegeli, he claimed that leukemias were “correlation deficiencies”; Babes was the one that described half a century before others the neoplastic nature of chronic lymphoid leukemia. C.E. Foikner, one of the most renowned researchers in the field of leukemia, mentions in his paper “Leukemia and Related Disorders” dated from 1938: “Babes was, it seems, the first to state the neoplastic nature of lymphoid leukemia”. As a sign of appreciation, Victor Babes is included in the publication staff, along with other world-famous researchers, on the cover of the first issue of “Folia Haematologica”(1904),edited by Pappenheim. Among the other permanent contributor of this magazine was another Romanian doctor – Toff (whose activity in the field of hematology is practically unknown in our country).
The first hematology papers in our country were published between 1904 and1908: Cosma Zamfirescu – “On leukemia” (1904) I. Galasescu si A. Craescu – “Acute leukemia with large cells”(1907-1908)Ion Bruckner – „Hematia”, „Mastzellen”, „The evolution of the blood count after splenectomy”
Become a Member
RHS KNOWLEDGE CENTER
Unlimited access to the latest hematological news.
NEWSLETTER
Be the first to find out about the latest publications added to our database.
EVENTS
Participate in the annual events organized by RHS.
GLOBAL CONTACTS
Get in touch with specialists from all over the world.
Romanian Hematological Society Statute
Information regarding the objectives, the members and the method of operation of the Romanian Hematological Society.
Social Share
Hematology and Romania
Between the two world wars, hematology flourished. In 1931 the French Hematology Society is founded, which still exists today; its president was initially George Hayem, followed by Henri Vaquez. The French Hematology Society edits „Le Sang”, a very appreciated specialty publication, which transformed after World War II in „Nouvelle Revue Francaise d’Hematologie”.
The Romanian Hematology Society, established in 1932 at I. Cantacuzino’s initiative, was the second national hematology society to be founded. Its first committee was made up of Prof. I. Cantacuzino as president and Prof.D.Danielopolu and Prof Ionescu-Mihaiesti as vice presidents, General Secretary – dr. I. Pavelcasier – dr. E. Craciun Meeting Secretaries– dr. Calalb si dr. Raileanu.
Some of the founders of the experimental and clinical medical school who introduced hematology amongst their complex preoccupations were great personalities of experimental pathology, such as Ion Cantacuzino, Mihai Ciuca si Ionescu-Mihaiesti,or in physiopathology-based medical practice like Danielopolu, or morphopathology, like N.Gh.Lupu. Thus was created during the first half of our century an environment for scientific concepts, experimental research and applied clinical hematology.
At about the same period of time, the contemporary collaborators of the first founding members introduced hematology as a separate specialty of internal medicine in Iasi and Cluj, through the late Prof. Gh. Tudoranu and Prof. Hatieganu.
The field of blood conservation and transfusion developed in parallel and the techniques for mass-determination of blood types were perfected, along with the introduction of Rh system serology-techniques.
We must not forget that, once Bessis published a book on the hemolytic disease of the new-born around 1945, research was being initiated at the “Dr. I. Cantacuzino” Institute regarding this new type of autoimmune haemolitic anemia, and serology tests were being introduced in transfusion centers of Cluj by Prof. Gh. Benetato & Co, and at Tg. Mures by Prof. P. Doczi & Co.
In 1951, Constantin T. Nicolau, a student and colleague of N. Gh. Lupu, sets up the first Hematology Department for upper medical education, located at the CFR 2 Hospital, and the Hematology Center, thus establishing Hematology as a separate specialty in Bucharest, with all of its specific tests, diagnoses and treatment options. C-tin T. Nicolau’s greatest merit was that he helped separate hematology from internal medicine and histology. He was the first professor in postuniversitary medical education.
During the 60s, the Hematology Society functioned within the Union of Medical Sciences Societies (UMSS), as the Hematology Department within the Internal Medicine Department. Its president was Constantin T. Nicolau and, afterwards, the heads of the Hematology Department (Emil R. Popescu, Elena Butoianu, Stefan Berceanu and Dan Colita). Its secretaries were Cecil Poppa and Stanica Nicoara. The Hematology Department organized monthly meetings, symposia and conferences with national and international participation. Our Hematology Department has a firm cooperation established with other members of the UMSS: the pediatric department, the oncology department, the general surgery department, the cardiovascular surgery department, etc.
The “Documenta Haematologica” Journal
In 1965, the Hematology Department begins publishing the specialty magazine „Documenta Haematologica”, under C-tin T. Nicolau as president and George Grigoriu as editor-in-chief. This publication was financed by the Ministry of Health and distributed freely to internists interested in hematology and to physicians of the county blood harvesting ans preservation centers. Also, this specialty magazine engaged in exchanges with other hematology magazines in Europe; its pages included the reviews of many hematology books. It is important to mention that „Documenta Haematologica” was among the 19 hematology publications in the owrld at that time. Unfortunately, due to lack of financing, its publication was halted in 1973.
In April 1989, through the efforts of Prof.Dr.Stefan Berceanu,The Executive Office of UMSS, along with its president, approved the separation of the Hematology Department from the Internal Medicine Department and its transformation into the Hematology Society as a separate member of the UMSS. Initially, since 1991, the Romanian Hematology Society functioned together with the National Transfusion Society of Romania, its first steering committee including Acad. Prof. Dr. Stefan Berceanu – president, Dr. Vlad Apateanu – vice president and Dr. Dan Colita – secretary. In 1992, RHS becomes an independent scientific society with Prof. Dr. Dan Colita as president until 2002 and Dr. Radu Niculescu as secretary. At the elections of 2002, Conf. Dr. Adriana Colita was elected as president, with Dr. Radu Niculescu continuing as general secretary . Currently, the Romanian Hematology Society has approximately 165 active members.
RHS after 1989 into the third millennium
After the events of 1989, the Romanian Hematology Society flourished. Its field of activity extended by organizing and supervising different scientific events with national and international participation: the RHS Congress (once every 5 years), the National RHS Conference (once a year), symposia, communication sessions, discussion-tables, etc., all of which have a wide audience from hematology specialists and also internal medicine specialists, surgeons, transfusion specialists, oncologists, lab medicine specialists etc. After 1989, research and medical practice were relaunched and Romanian hematology was aligned to international hematology practice; there was a continuous growth of the scientific level and of the complexity of all the events organized by RHS.
Starting 1997, RHS publishes „Documenta Haematologica –new series”, a common publication of RHS and of the National Blood Transfusion Society of Romania. Prof. Dr. Dan Colita is the president of the editorial collective and Dr. Radu Niculescu its editor-in-chief.In 2006 we launched RHS’s website: www.srh.org.ro, which offers wide-scale access to information about the objectives, preoccupations and achievements of Romanian hematologists.
RHS has established links with multiple European and international hematology societies, the members of RHS now being able to participate unrestricted to different scientific events throughout the world. One of the initiatives of the RHS which was very successful was founding the Balkan Hematology Society, started in 2005 in Bucharest. This project was completed by organizing the yearly “Days of Balkan Hematology”: Turkey (2006), Greece (2007), Romania (2008), Bulgary (2009). During this meetings, medical personalities from the Balkan Peninsula (Albania, Greece, Bulgary, Turkey, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia Hertzegovina, Muntenegro) come together.
The main objective of the Romanian Hematology Society is to contribute to the continuous development of Romanian hematology, so that it will become a top member among fellow societies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
N. Ursea, Enciclopedie medicala romaneasca, Secolul XX, Bucuresti 2001
Documentele Clinicii de Hematologie Fundeni
