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Obituary Professor Kurt Nikolai von Kaulla MD 1912-1986 Professor K. N. von Kaulla, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Centre, Denver, Colorado, USA, died in May 1986 at the age of 73. Kurt von Kaulla qualified in Medicine in Germany in 193X and then moved to Stockholm to work with Professor .lorpes on heparin. At that time he lived with Professcr Westergren and his family. These two scien- tists became his lifelong friends and played a major role in guiding his career. fHe was awarded a Doctorate by the University of Freiburg for his thesis on digitoxin in 1940. Thereafter he studied anticoagulant treatment and in the University of Freiburg with E. Husemann devel- oped the xylanesters-heparin-like substances. About this time he became interested in fibrinolysis and began to study fibrinolytic enzymes. In 1949 he pub- lished an extraction of a fibrinolytic enzyme from blood and thereafter fibrinolysis became his main re- search interest. He moved to the United States in 1952 and became Head of the Coagulation Laboratory at the Medical Centre of the University of Colorado in 1953. ln this laboratory he made many major contributions to the field of fibrinolysis-the isolation of plasminogen from canine vascular segments. of plasminogen activa- tors from human vessels. of plasminogen antiactiva- tor. and of urokinase. He also developed a range of synthetic fibrinolytic compounds. This extensive programme of research resulted in a monograph on hbrinolysis in 1962, the editorship of eight books. and 330 scientific publications. In 1974 hc returned to the University of Freiburg to continue his studies. Kurt von Kaulla played a major role in the creation of the International Congresses of Fibrinolysis. With- out his initiative. foresight, and drive it is doubtful if the First Congress in 1972 would have taken place. We owe him a particular debt for this. The recent Eighth Congress in Vienna drew over 600 participants showing just how far sighted he was in 1972. With his passing. fibrjnolysis has suffered a great loss. His work has been a milestone in the progress of fibrinolysis. We shall miss his kindness, his vitality, his scientific curiosity, and most of all his dedication to the subject. Our sympathy goes tohis widow Edith. J.F.D. M.M.S.
