"Jan Waldenström was an associate professor in Uppsala who, in 1943, described two blood diseases named after him, one called 'Macroglobulinemia'. In 1950 he became the first professor of medicine at Lund University and employed at the newly established teaching hospital Malmö General Hospital. In a short time, he created a leading clinic at the highest international level where a large number of theses saw the light of day. Through him, the General Hospital became a popular workplace for numerous foreign visiting researchers. He himself was a sought-after guest lecturer all over the world", says Frank Wollheim.
"He was the clinician with an unerring mind. In close collaboration with another icon, the creator of the Central Laboratory of Chemistry at MAS – Carl-Bertil Laurell – he created the concepts of monoclonal and polyclonal hypergamma globulinemia as a term for malignant and for numerous infectious and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
"He was a brilliant botanist in the spirit of Linnaeus and emphasised the importance of humanism, i.e. an interest in art, music and literature, in order to become a 'complete' doctor. In this respect, too, he was ahead of his time."
He was a legendary teacher and his students became clinic managers for some 20 medical clinics in the country. His international network lives through them and their disciples.
What has his work meant for today's health care?
"Discoveries such as macroglobulinemia, autoimmune hepatitis, Carcinoid syndrome and MGUS (Monoclonal Gammopathy of Uncertain Significance) are now textbook material. His groundbreaking doctoral thesis on the endemic disease acute intermittent porphyria in Arjeplog and his later porphyria research with student Birgitta Haeger-Aronsen have left a lasting legacy of porphyria diseases in Sweden. Through his student Bengt Skanse, he introduced nuclear medicine to Sweden. Together with Jerzy Einhorn and a few others, he created the specialty of medical oncology in Sweden. He was a legendary teacher and his students became clinic managers for some 20 medical clinics in the country. His international network lives through them and their disciples."
What has been the most fun part of writing this book?
"The most enjoyable thing was the numerous interviews with colleagues and friends about their memories of Waldenström, the research in archives and on the internet about his life and contacts, and the writing itself. "
"A lasting benefit is all new or refreshed knowledge of medical history. The hardest part was finding a publisher. The most frustrating thing was obtaining (buying) permission for all over 200 illustrations."
