Akil Muhtar ÖZDEN

Akil Muhtar Özden (1877-1949) was a Turkish medical doctor, pioneer and scientist in the field of pharmacology. He made significant contributions to the development of experimental pharmacology in Turkey and left an important mark in the world of medicine.

Who is Akil Muhtar Özden?

Akil Muhtar Özden was born on October 1, 1877 in the Cağaloğlu district of Istanbul. His father, Mehmet Muhtar Efendi, was one of the founders of the Turkish Medical Academy and Akil Muhtar chose to follow in his footsteps and pursue a career in medicine. After completing his primary education, he graduated from the Military Medical School. He traveled to Switzerland in 1896 to continue his education and enrolled at the Geneva Medical Faculty. After completing his education in Geneva in 1902, Özden worked at the Pasteur Institute for a year and reinforced his knowledge in the field of medicine.

During his medical education, Akil Muhtar frequently traveled to Paris and took lessons from famous medical professors of the period such as Georges-Fernand Widal, Anatole Chauffard and Joseph Jules Dejerine. In 1902, after graduating from the Geneva Medical School, he worked there for a long time, presenting his doctoral thesis on long-term meningitis and publishing his work "Long Term Cerebrospinal Meningitis".

Contributions to Medicine

Akil Muhtar Özden is known in the scientific world for his researches in the fields of pharmacodynamics and pharmacology. He drew attention especially with his studies on chloralose and opiate alkaloids. In 1909, he studied local anesthetic effects and developed methods in this field with his research on animal experiments. Özden's invention known as the "Mukhtar Reflex" is a method used to measure the effect of local anesthetics. This method was an important contribution in determining the duration and potency of anesthetics. This invention earned Akil Muhtar an award from the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Council in 1973.

Özden also designed the color meter experiment to measure the detoxification function of the liver. This experiment became an important test used to detect liver diseases. Published in 1933, it was widely used in France and Germany and was recognized as the best liver function test until 1955.

In addition to his achievements in the field of medicine, Akil Muhtar Özden also made great contributions to the development of Turkish medical history. As one of the founders of the Turkish Medical History Association, which was established in 1940, he took active roles in the association and served as its president from 1940 until his death. He was also the president of the Balkan Union Medical Association.

Influence and Legacy

Akil Muhtar Özden's influence has left a deep mark not only in the field of medicine but also in the Turkish scientific world. For 37 years, he served as a professor of pharmacology at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, imparting his knowledge and experience to medical students. After his retirement in 1943, he was appointed as the chief physician at the German Hospital, where he continued to work as an internal medicine specialist.

In 1946, Özden was elected as a deputy for Istanbul from the Republican People's Party, and he was also interested in politics and continued to contribute to his scientific studies. In the post-1940 period, Özden became particularly interested in philosophy and gained an important place in Turkish intellectual life. He took part in the Education and Ethics Councils and drew attention with his speeches there. His philosophical work "Morality from the Science of Science" is an important work in which he reveals his understanding of morality. In this work, Özden defined morality as the rules of life and argued that these rules help people lead a more useful and happy life.

In 1949, at the end of his life, he traveled to Switzerland, where he fell ill due to advancing health problems. He diagnosed himself with "mediastinal lymphoma" and determined the treatment process himself. However, he died at his home in Istanbul on March 12, 1949. Akil Muhtar Özden's body was buried on March 14th Medical Day with a large ceremony attended by medical students and academics.

Akil Muhtar Özden's contributions to medical science show his importance in the world of science and his legacy continues to this day. Özden's medical studies and discoveries have become one of the main sources in many fields, especially pharmacology. He was not only a physician, but also a thinker and educator who made great contributions to the development of scientific thought. Today, his legacy is honored with respect in the world of Turkish medicine and science.