HAAS,GEORG - A FORGOTTEN PIONEER OF HEMODIALYSIS

Georg Haas (1886-1971) is a forgotten pioneer who had made seminal con tributions to the development of the concept of haemodialysis. He was the first to carry out clinically successful haemodialyses. After a pe riod of thorough physicochemical training he lucidly formulated the ph ysical principles underlying haemodialysis, but faced enormous practic al difficulties because of the insufficient state of bioengineering. T his prevented a more widespread introduction of the technique which wa s clinically successful despite limited dialytic efficacy.