Jan Janský

Who was Jan Janský?

Prof. MUDr. Jan Janský was a Czech serologist, neurologist and psychiatrist. He is credited with the first classification of blood into the four types of the ABO blood group system.

Janský studied medicine at Charles University in Prague. From 1899, he worked in the Psychiatric Clinic in Prague. In 1914, he was named professor. During World War I Janský served two years as a doctor at the front until a heart attack disabled him. After the war he worked as a neuropsychiatrist in a military Hospital. He had angina pectoralis and died of ischaemic heart disease.

Janský was also a proponent of voluntary blood donations.