József Fodor

Josef von Fodor de Galánta (; 16 July 1843 – 19 March 1901) was a Hungarian professor of hygiene at the University of Budapest and pioneer of public health.

Early life and education Birth

Josef von Fodor was born on 16 July 1843 in Lakócsa, Somogy County of Hungary.

Family Josef's father was Galántai Fodor Antal [Hu] and his mother was Mary Picha. He had a daughter, Margit Fodor who married Zsigmond Gerlóczy.

Education He studied medicine at the University of Budapest, the University of Vienna, and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and was awarded Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Budapest on 19 October 1865.

Death Von Fodor died on 19 Mar 1901 from sequelae of influenza supervening on arterial sclerosis He is buried at Rijeka Road Graveyard.

Career Von Fodor made significant contributions in teaching hygiene, investigating the connection between public health and conditions of water and air, and also studied many other projects including disinfectants and the effects of carbon monoxide, which he introduced the first quantitative analytical method for determining carboxyhemoglobin saturation. Von Fodor was among the first to demonstrate the spread of typhoid through water.

It has also been suggested that von Fodor was the first to suggest establishing a National Institute for Public Health and a Regional Institute of Public Health and Epidemiology. Honorary member of the German Public Health Association (Verein fur Offentliche Gesundheitspflege) 1909 - on 29 August 1909 the National Public Health Association erected a bronze bust (the work of György Vastagh Jr.) in the capital, in the VIII. district Gutenberg Square, with the inscription “First Apostle of Our Public Health” engraved on the sculpture foundation. In Kaposvár, a full-length bronze statue, in its native village, Lakócsa, Somogy county, also a bust and a memorial plaque mark the memory of the famous native of the village.

Publications

1869 - About outside toilet systems with regard to domestic conditions, especially of Pest, 1869 1873 - Sanitary Administration in England / Public health in England with regard to the situation of medicine, health regulations, forensic medicine and the conditions in Hungary. 1881 - 1882 - 1885 - the conditions of longevity 1886 - Bacterien im blute lebender thiere. [Bacteria in the blood of living animals] Archiv für Hygiene, 4:129-148 1887 - 1887 - textbook for hygiene schools (2nd ed. 1892) 1890 - the bactericidal action of the blood and immunization 1891 - immunization by alkalinization