Tumors and Tumorlike Lesions of Bone and Joints (PDF)

In the past 50 years considerable progress has been made in orthopedics and traumatology. One of the principal reasons for these advances has undoubtedly been the separation of these specialties from general surgery. Alongside this development the number of those devoted to the study and treatment of locomotor disabilities, who could formerly be counted on the fingers of one hand-at least in our country-has multiplied by thousands and even more have subspecialized. This accelerated growth has encouraged the sharpen­ ing of diagnostic skills, technical improvement, and the application of advances in other fields of medicine to orthopedics. However, paradoxically enough, one of the most important aspects of orthopedics, bone pathology, has not attracted enough specialists worldwide to handle the complex problems, encountered daily, that only an expert and experienced pathologist is capable of resolving. Within the modern milieu, the personality and accomplishments of Professor Fritz Schajowicz stand out distinctly. Dr. Schajowicz, of Austrian origin, studied with Pro­ fessor J. Erdheim of Vienna. Having afterwards been granted a fellowship to extend his knowledge of bone pathology at the Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute of Bologna under the direction of Professor Vittorio Putti, he complemented this work with the study of clinical orthopedics at that prestigious institution. In 1938, Professor Jose Valls visited the Rizzoli Institute and, recognizing the outstanding training of Professor Schajowicz, invited him to move to Argentina where we were in need of an expert pathologist.