Professor Ioan Drăgoiu (Fig. 1) was born in 1878 in

Caransebeș, in the current county of Caraș Severin.

After graduating from the primary school in Caran-

sebeș, he attended the courses of the "Traian" High

School in Turnu-Severin (now Drobeta Turnu-Severin),

then, starting with 1896, he attended the Superior

School of Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, which he

graduated in 1901 (2, 3). Being noticed from the early

school years, he became a teacher, and soon in 1903,

he became head of works at the Department of Phy-

siology (5).

For over 20 years (1903-1925) he was the colla-

borator of Prof. Ion Athanasiu (one of the founders of

modern Romanian physiology). During this period, as

lecturer, he taught Histology, Embryology and Terato-

logy. During this period, Ioan Drăgoiu was a colleague

with the future personalities E. Fauré-Fremiet and H.

Vlés. In 1924, the management of the Faculty of Me-

dicine of Cluj invites I. Drăgoiu as professor and director

of the "Institute of Histology and Embryology" (2-5).

Starting with January 19, 1925, Prof. Ioan Drăgoiu be-

comes a teacher of the Faculty of Medicine of Cluj. Here

he will carry out a regular teaching activity, which will

combine the modernization of the teaching process with

the reorganization of the scientific activity of the De-

partment of Histology. Thus, together with collabora-

Professor Ioan Drăgoiu was born in 1878 in Caran-

sebeș, in the current county of Caraș Severin. After

graduating from the primary school in Caransebeș, he

attended the courses of the "Traian" High School in

Turnu-Severin (now Drobeta Turnu-Severin), then,

starting with 1896, he attended the Superior School of

Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, which he graduated

in 1901. Being noticed from the early school years, he

became a teacher, and soon in 1903, he became head

of works at the Department of Physiology. Highly

appreciated by Prof. Athanasiu, he is sent to advanced

training in France, where (between 1919 and 1923) he

works in the Laboratory of Comparative Embryology at

the "Collège de France" in Paris, a laboratory run by L.

Henneguy. After returning to the country, in 1923, he

is promoted to lecturer at the same department. Since

1925, Prof. I. Drăgoiu has been transferred to the Me-

dical Faculty of Cluj. Here he will be appointed Pro-

fessor and director of the Institute of "Histology and

Embryology". He will remain professor of histology of

this faculty until the end of his life (1941). Prof. Dră-

goiu is considered one of the great personalities of

Romanian Veterinary and Human Histology.

Keywords: veterinary histology, professor,

history of Romanian veterinary histology

Profesorul Dr. Ioan Drăgoiu s-a născut în 1878 la

Caransebeș, în actualul județ Caraș Severin. După ab-

solvirea școlii primare în Caransebeș, a urmat cursu-

rile Liceului “Traian” din Turnu-Severin, apoi, începând

cu 1896, urmează Școala Superioară de Medicină

Veterinară din București pe care a absolvit-o în 1901.

Fiind remarcat încă de pe băncile școlii, devine cadru

didactic al acesteia, pentru ca, în 1903 să devină șef de

lucrări la catedra de Fiziologie. Foarte apreciat de către

Prof. Athanasiu, este trimis la perfecționare în Franța,

unde (între 1919 și 1923) lucrează în Laboratorul de

Embriologie Comparată de la “Collège de France” din

Paris, laborator condus de către L. Henneguy. După

revenirea în țară, în 1923, este avansat conferențiar la

aceeași catedră. Din 1925, Prof. I. Drăgoiu se tran-

sferă la Facultatea de Medicină din Cluj. Aici va fi numit

profesor și director al Institutului de “Istologie și Em-

briologie”. Va ramâne profesor de histologie al acestei

facultăți până la sfârșitul vieții (1941). Prof. I. Drăgoiu

este considerat unul din marii corifei ai Histologiei ro-

mânești.

Cuvinte cheie: histologie, profesor,

istoria histologiei veterinare românești

PROFESSOR IOAN DRĂGOIU (1878–1941)

– GREAT PERSONALITY OF THE ROMANIAN HISTOLOGY –

PROFESORUL IOAN DRĂGOIU (1878–1941)

– MARE PERSONALITATE A HISTOLOGIEI ROMÂNEȘTI –

1), *) 1)B. GEORGESCU , G. PREDOI , 1)Petronela Mihaela ROȘU , 1)Ștefania Mariana RAITA ,

1)Letiția PURDOIU

Rev Rom Med Vet (2020) 30 | 1: 77-80 77

ISSN: 1220-3173; E-ISSN: 2457-7618

1) University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine,

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest, Romania

*) Corresponding author: bogdangeorgescu@fmvb.ro

tors, the professor realized numerous histological pre-

parations each summer (over 17,000 blades in 1927 a-

lone). Of these preparations, a portion was given to

each student (approx. 100 blades /student) (8, 9).

Prof. Ioan Drăgoiu has always argued in his presen-

tations that the morphology (straight Histology) is

strictly combined with physiology, one without the other

being unable to exist. All lectures of Professor I. Drăgoiu

were supported by projections and drawings (1, 2, 4).

Prof. Drăgoiu publishes in 1931 (volume I) and 1933

(volume II) a study entitled "Elements of Histology and

Microscopic Technique" considered the first Romanian

volume of histo-physiology. This didactic study was

awarded by the Romanian Academy with the big prize

"Oroveanu". The first volume of "Elements of Histology

and Microscopic Technique" includes the notions needed

for the first year students of the Faculty of Medicine, and

the second volume deals with the general study of the

cell, tissues, organs and systems, studied from a mor-

phological and physiological point of view. This volume

will have several editions (published posthumously) due

to the original conception and the didactic way of pre-

senting the information. In the preface to the second

edition, published in 1943, prof. Cornel Crișan wrote the

following: “This admirable didactic book was awarded

with the great Oroveanu prize of the Romanian Aca-

demy. Prepared and conceived in an original and per-

sonal way by a knowledgeable teacher, written with the

clarity and didactic sense that can be mastered only

after a long teaching career. I considered my duty to

update, complete and remove only what was absolutely

necessary, just as my regrettable boss did, which for

almost 18 years of harmonious collaboration I had the

opportunity to know and cherish" (5-9). In 1946, the

third edition was published for Elements of Histology

and Microscopic Technique (Fig. 2).

Between 1935 and 1937, as a substitute, Prof. Ioan

Drăgoiu also taught the course of Physiology at the Me-

dical school in Cluj (2).

On a scientific level, Prof. Ioan Drăgoiu addressed

both the histological and physiological studies on the

different structures. Thus, between 1909 and 1911, to-

gether with Prof. Ion Athanasiu, he studied the distribu-

tion of elastic fibers in different muscular tissues, the

composition of the basal membrane and its relations

with the conjunctive-elastic elements. Then, Prof. Dră-

goiu's studies focused on histogenesis (scientific works

on lung development), histophysiology (the influence of

osmotic pressure in stopping cell division, the role of

pH), as well as microchemistry (the action of pectoses

on the secretory epithelium) (3, 5).

Prof. Drăgoiu was also involved in the academic ma-

nagement of "King Ferdinand I" University of Cluj, being

elected Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1928, 1930-

1931), Dean of the same faculty (1929, 1938-1939)

and Vice-Chancellor (1940, during which the University

was in refuge in Sibiu) (6, 7-9).

Ioan Drăgoiu was a member of the General Associa-

tion of Romanian Veterinarians, a member of the Biolo-

gy Society in Paris and of the Editorial Board of the ma-

gazine "Clujul Medical". The activity was highly appreci-

ated and for his special merits he was decorated with

the Order of "Steaua României" as commander (5).

Unfortunately, in Sibiu, in the spring of 1941, Pro-

fessor Ioan Drăgoiu died at the age of only 63. Prof.

Victor Papilian, mentioned in the obituary dedicated to

the teacher: “Ioan Drăgoiu died on duty. In spite of the

physical pain, in spite of the suffering of the souls, he

continued to do his duty as only the true scholars are

able, serene, quiet, compassionate, imposing the eter-

nal soul in turmoil, a strong self-control. But this victory

for the public was fatal to man. For only he who lived in

78 Rev Rom Med Vet (2020) 30 | 1

Rev Rom Med Vet (2020) 30 | 1 79

his intimacy knew the formidable energy of this man,

apparently so peaceful..." (7-9).

The scientific activity of Professor Ioan Drăgoiu is

represented by the following works (1-9):

· I. Drăgoiu – Septicemia hemoragică a calului,

Teză, București, 1903.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – La distribution de la

graisse dans le corps de la grenouille pendant l'hiver.

Infiltration graisseuse normale. C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 64, p.

191, Bucarest, 1908.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Migration de la graisse

dans le corps de la grenouille pendant les quatre

saisons. C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 67, p. 135, Bucarest, 1909.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Die Wanderung des

Fettes im Froschkörper im Verhältnis zur Jahreszeit.

Arh.f. die ges. Phisiol. Bonn, 1910.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu, I. Ghinea – Sur le tissu

élastique des muscles lisses. C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 68, p. 67,

Bucarest, 1910.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Association des éléments

élastiques et contractiles dans les muscles lisses et

striés des Mammifères. C.R. Acad. Sc., t.151, p.551,

Bucarest, 1911.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Association des éléments

élastiques et contractiles dans les muscles lisses et

striés des Mammifères. Ann.Biol., Bucarest, 1911.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Association des éléments

élastiques et contractiles dans le myocarde des Mammi-

fères. C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 70, p. 598, Bucarest, 1911.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Sur le tissu conjonctif

dans le myocarde des grenouilles. Rôle du tissu élas-

tique dans le myocarde. C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 70, p. 601,

Bucarest, 1911.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Les capillaires aériens

des fibres musculaires chez les Insectes. C.R. Soc. Biol.,

t. 75, p. 578, Bucarest, 1913.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Sur la structure des

muscles striés des insectes et leurs rapports avec les

trachées aériennes. Arch. Anat. Micr., Bucarest, 1915.

· I. Drăgoiu –Recherches expérimentales sur la géné-

ralisation du virus vaccinal. C.R.Soc.Biol.,Bucarest, 1916.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Sur une anomalie du

développment de l'ovaire chez «l'Ascaris mégalocé-

phale ». C.R. Soc. Biol., t. 83, p. 123, Bucarest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Développement des

canaux aériens et histogénèse de l'épithélium pulmo-

naire chez le mouton. C.R. Ac.Sc., t. 170, p. 1617, Bu-

carest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet –Histogénèse et é-

poque d'apparition des différents tissus musculaires chez

le mouton. C.R.Ac.Sc., t.171, p.134, Bucarest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet, Du Vivier de Streel –

La croissance du poumon fœtal chez le mouton et les

variations concomitantes de sa composition. C.R. Ac.

Sc., t. 171, p. 2750, Bucarest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet, Du Vivier de Streel –

La différenciation histo-chimique de l'épithélium pul-

monaire fœtal du mouton. C.R. Ac.Sc., t. 171, p. 1085,

Bucarest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet, Du Vivier de Streel –

Sur une réaction microchimique de la cellule épithéliale

pulmonaire. C.R. Ac.Sc., t. 2, p. 166, Bucarest, 1920.

· I. Drăgoiu, Fred Vlès – Sur la pression osmotique

d'arrêt de la division cellulaire. C.R. Acad.Sc., t. 172, p.

1127, Bucarest, 1921.

· I. Drăgoiu, Fred Vlès – Les conséquences cytolo-

giques de l'arrêt osmotique de la division cellulaire. C.R.

Acad.Sc., t. 172, p. 1210, Bucarest, 1921.

· I. Drăgoiu, Fred Vlès – Etudes sur la pression os-

motique d'arrêt de la division cellulaire. Arch. De Biol., t.

31, p. 453, Bucarest, 1921.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Divers aspects de la

cellule hépatique chez les tétards de « Rana temporaria

» nourris avec de la thyroïde. C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 85, p.

434, Bucarest, 1921.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Etude histologique

des phénomènes provoqueés chez le tétard de « Rana

temporaria » par l'alimentation thyroïdienne. C.R. Soc.

Biol., t. 85, p. 437, Bucarest, 1921.

· I. Drăgoiu – Influence de la pression osmotique sur

la division cellulaire. C.R. Acad.Sc., t.174, p.199, Buca-

rest, 1922.

· I. Drăgoiu – Chondriome des cellules sexuelles

chez la truite (Trutta fario). C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 87, p. 331,

Bucarest, 1922.

· I. Drăgoiu – Recherches sur le pH d'arrêt de la divi-

ssion de l'œuf d'oursin. C.R. Acad.Sc., Bucarest, 1923.

· I. Drăgoiu – Conséquences cytologiques de

l'abaissement du pH extérieur sur l'évolution de l'œuf

d'oursin. C.R. Acad. Sc., Bucarest, 1923.

· I. Drăgoiu – Sur la réversibilité des phénomènes

d'arrêt par abaissement du pH dans l'évolution des

œufs d'oursin. C.R. Acad. Sc., Bucarest, 1923.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Caractérisation mi-

crochimique d'un composé sulfuré dans la cellule épi-

théliale granuleuse du poumon. C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 89, p.

304, Bucarest, 1923.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Le premier cycle de

croissance du tétard dde « Rana temporaria ». Arch.

Inst. de Physiol., t. 21, p. 403, Bucarest, 1923.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Fauré-Fremiet – Le développement

du poumon fœtal chez le mouton. Arch. Anat. Microsc.,

t. 19, p. 411, Bucarest, 1924.

· I. Drăgoiu, I. Athanasiu – Sur la structure de la fi-

bre musculaire striée. C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 91, p. 728, Bu-

carest, 1924.

· I. Drăgoiu, E. Pop – Un cas d'hermaphrodisme

glandulaire chez la grenouille (Rana temporaria). C.R.

Soc.Biol., t. 96, p. 1451, Bucarest, 1927.

· I. Drăgoiu, Pierre Thomas – Action des pentoses

sur l'épithélium secrétoire du rein. C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 97,

p. 772, Bucarest, 1927.

80 Rev Rom Med Vet (2020) 30 | 1

· I. Drăgoiu, Th. Busnitza – Sur un tétard de Bombi-

nator igneus bicéphale. C.R. Soc.Biol., t. 97, p. 1015,

Bucarest, 1927.

· I. Drăgoiu – Quelques aspects histologiques du

poumon chez les chiens depancréatés. Arch. Anat.

Microsc., Bucarest, 1929.

· I. Drăgoiu, I.I. Nitzesco – Aspect histologique du

poumon dans le diabète expérimental. Contribution à

l'étude de la lipodiérèse pulmonaire. C.R. Soc.Biol., t.

101, p. 401, Bucarest, 1929.

· I. Drăgoiu, I.I. Nitzesco – Aspect histologique du

poumon dans le diabète expérimental. Contribution à

l'étude de la lipodiérèse pulmonaire. Clujul Medical,

Cluj, 1929.

· I. Drăgoiu – Elemente de histologie și de tehnică

microscopică. 2 volume, 720 pag., 532 fig. Cluj, 1931-

1933 (Volumul I – Prima parte: Microscopul și acceso-

riile lui. Preparatul microscopic. Volumul II – Fascicula 1

- Țesuturi și organe; Fascicula 2 - Glande cu secreție

internă, organe de simț).

· I. Drăgoiu – Localisation topographique des sub-

stances minérales dans les préparation histologique à

l'aide de l'incinération (micro-incinération). Clujul-Medi-

cal, Cluj, 1936.

· I. Drăgoiu, Gr. Benetato, R. Oprean – Recherches

sur la respiration des oocytes des Mammifères. C.R.

Soc.Biol., t. 126, p. 1044, Bucarest, 1937.

· I. Drăgoiu, C. Crișan – Corrélation entre le déve-

loppement du cristallin et celui de la vésicule optique, à

propos d'une anomalie oculaire. Bull. de l'Acad. Méd.

Roum., t. 6, p. 305, Bucarest, 1938.

· I. Drăgoiu – Un poussin monstre psodelphe à épine

bifide et célosomie. Clujul Medical, Cluj, 1938.

· I. Drăgoiu, C. Crișan – L'influence des acides a-

minés sur la croissance des végétaux. Bull. de l'Acad.

Méd. Roum., t. 6, p. 474, Bucarest, 1938.

· I. Drăgoiu, C. Crișan – Contribution à l'étude de

l'action de la colchicine sur les racines des végétaux

(Allium cepa et Phasoleus vulgaris). Bull. de l'Acad.

Méd. Roum., t. 8, p. 326, Bucarest, 1939.

· I. Drăgoiu – Elemente de histologie și de tehnică

microscopică. Ediția a doua, revizuită și adăugită (apă-

rută post-mortem). 1 volum, 720 pag., 532 fig. Cluj,

1941 (Prima parte: Tehnică microscopică, Partea a do-

ua: Studiul celulei (Citologie), Partea a treia: Evoluția

celulelor și reproducerea indivizilor).

REFERENCES

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tehnică microscopică, ediția a treia. (Ed.) H. Welther,

Sibiu, Romania

2. Nichita G., (1942), Le professeur Jean Drăgoiu (1878

-1941) - Arhiva Veterinară nr. 1-3, vol. XXXIV, Tipo-

grafia ziarului “Universul”, București.

3. Poenaru I., (1931), 75 de ani de la întemeierea învă-

țământului medicinei veterinare în România 1853-

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