Laza K. Lazarevic

Srdjan Milovanovic has submitted the following biography of Laza K. Lazarevic:

Laza K. Lazarevic lived only 40 years, from 1851 to 1890. He was a medical doctor for 11 years, and during his brief life published nine stories that enshrined him in Serbian literature as a writer who introduced the physiological story genre. Hence he was often referred to as the Serbian Turgeniev. He studied medicine in Berlin, but interrupted his studies twice to work as doctor's assistant in the military hospitals during both of the Serbian-Turkish wars. During the five years and two and a half months he spent in Berlin, he earned the title of Medical Doctor of all fields of medicine and completed his PhD dissertation, thus becoming Doctor of Medicine and Surgery. He published 77 methodical units from various fields of medicine, but he was especially noted for excellent descriptions of illnesses within the field of neurology. He earned his title of true scientist when he discovered the so-called Lazarevic's sign, a sign used for positive diagnosis of the Nervus ishiadicus. Lazarevic named the sign ischias postica kotunýý, for the Italian physician Domenico Felice Antonio Cotugno (1736-1822) who first described the syndrome known as malum cotunni (Cotugno’s syndrome).

His psychological stories and psychiatric patient's evaluations show the extent of his talent and his contribution to psychiatry. Later he became doctor appointed to the Royal Court and was elected member of the Royal Academy.

The Laza Lazarevic Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Belgrad is named for him.