Włodzimierz Ptak: Use

“In later years, I argued with Professor Julian Aleksandrowicz because he used some therapeutic activities that I did not like, such as the debatable use of suppressive drugs. I once criticized him for that in public. I was already a professor when I had a nice conversation with Professor Aleksandrowicz. I started, „Sir, as a scientist, I …”. He interrupted me saying – „There are three categories of people involved in science: scientists, these are the ones who take the test tubes, they pour something into them; there are lettered scholars, like you; and finally, sir, there are sages.” Someone later pointed out that I did not answer him – „You are a sage, sir.””

Włodzimierz Ptak

Aleksandrowicz had something of a sage in himself.
Kobos, Andrzej (2009). Po drogach uczonych (in Polish). 4. Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, pp. 383–398. ISBN 978-83-7676-021-6.

People , Science

“The Catholic Church has a lot of sins on the conscience regarding the health prevention. I still have a copy of a church magazine from 1905 that condemns the use of vaccines. Until recently, the Church believed that every illness is the result of God's decision. So if the disease attacked, then it was necessary to accept it with dignity – as the judgment of the Supreme.”

Włodzimierz Ptak

Mazurek, Maria (7 July 2017): Cudowna armia, która broni naszego ciała http://plus.gazetakrakowska.pl/magazyn/a/cudowna-armia-ktora-broni-naszego-ciala,12271571. Gazeta Krakowska (in Polish), pp. 18–19.

God , Health , Disease , Decision

“As for the number of people reluctant to me, I guess I fall in the national average. Maybe it's about talking openly what I think? For example, in 1980 an interview with several professors – including myself – was ran by the newspaper Dziennik Polski, very much against the then authorities. We've all been in favor of far-reaching changes, but each of us saw these changes differently. I am a nonbeliever. And there comes the „Solidarity” with holy masses and sprinkling corpses with holy water. I thought that policy of the University, beneficial to the „Solidarity”, was not always beneficial for the University itself. From time to time, friendly people try to affront me, even though I did not belong neither to the youth communist organization neither to the party, neither had I contacts with the communist Security Service. And generally I didn't have herd instincts.”

Włodzimierz Ptak

Kobos, Andrzej (2009). Po drogach uczonych (in Polish). 4. Kraków: Polska Akademia Umiejętności, pp. 383–398. ISBN 978-83-7676-021-6.

People , Youth , Thinking , Universe

“Immunity is still, despite such extensive knowledge, a field full of secrets. It fascinates us and pushes us to develop new research strategies. Sometimes it resembles a fight with a stranger and invisible opponent, although lately, thanks to modern technology, this „battlefield” has been quite well recognized.”

Włodzimierz Ptak

Bętkowska, Teresa (August–September 2010). "Mistrz niszowej dyscypliny" http://www2.almamater.uj.edu.pl/126/17.pdf (PDF). Alma Mater (in Polish). Kraków: Jagiellonian University (126–127): pp. 41–46.

Secret , Knowledge , Fight

“If we look at the highly specialized action of our immune system, we will appreciate into what a brilliant tool evolution has shaped us. Each of us has millions of cells that recognize and destroy foreign antigens. I mean, of course, a healthy, well-functioning immune system, because unfortunately – sometimes it fails.”

Włodzimierz Ptak

Mazurek, Maria (7 July 2017): Cudowna armia, która broni naszego ciała http://plus.gazetakrakowska.pl/magazyn/a/cudowna-armia-ktora-broni-naszego-ciala,12271571. Gazeta Krakowska (in Polish), pp. 18–19.