The impact of the epidemic of Heine-Medina disese on the development of rehabilitation in Poland.

The work presents pioneering activities of Polish orthopedists in the interwar period who were the first to propose methods of surgical and physical treatment of the effects of poliomyelitis. It also discusses the activities undertaken by the Ministry of Health and the National Rehabilitation Specialist, prof Wiktor Dega, in the early 1950s in order to fight the effects of the Heine-Medin disease epidemic in Poland. They worked on the creation of a network of rehabilitation centres throughout the country, training of medical personnel, development of uniform procedures that would provide the patient with appropriate treatment in the acute state of the disease and during the following years of its consequences. In addition to treating, it was possible for the sick children to get a profession that would allow them to start working. The authors show that dealing with the effects of Heine-Medin disease had a significant impact on the development of rehabilitation in Poland.