Heritage of Stanislaw Ciechanowski (1869‐1945)—Discoverer of pathogenesis of prostatic hyperplasia‐passionis insignia signis fulgent mirificis

Background Prostatic enlargement was first correctly recognized as a prostatic hyperplasia by professor of anatomic pathology, Stanisław Ciechanowski (1869‐1945) in Cracow on contrary to Parisian urologist Jean Casimir Félix Guyon's concepts of progressing atherosclerosis as a morphological cause of prostatic overgrowth and mechanical insufficiency of lower urinary tract. Methods Primary resources were analyzed about Stanisław Ciechanowski mainly from depositories of the Section of Special Collection, Stanisław Konopka Main Medical Library Warsaw and Polish bibliograhy of Estreichers at Jagiellonian University. Results Professor of anatomic pathology, Stanisław Ciechanowski (1869‐1945) was the first to state that chronic inflammation induced overgrowth of parenchymatous and stromal prostate components in course of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Ciechanowski preformed also pioneer and notable studies in the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and classification of cancer in Poland. As one of the major Polish medical editors and a father of Polish modern medical language he was also very prolific author in the field of congenital pathology, sclerosis of pulmonary arteries, endemic goiter, intestinal emphysema, etc. Due to magnitude of autopsies, he preformed, Stanislaw Ciechanowski was a perfect candidate to complete the first edition of several volumes of main Polish handbook on anatomy of a human body after tragic death of professor Adam Bochenek. Conclusions Ciechanowski gained such a high authority, that his opinion was found crucial in prewar Poland in the field of medical publications, but his world‐famous achievement was scientific explanation of prostate overgrowth as inflammation induced hyperplasia.