What do we know about the medical biography of Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938)? A summary of the state of knowledge and outlook on relevant issues for further research

Abstract

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Turkish republic, is the subject of many more or less 'heroic' biographies and few critical ones. His anamnesis, however, is only available in fragments. Many books omit details of Atatürk's health and life, for example his bloodline, his illness and eventually his death, his funeral prayer and ceremony and his burial. His liver problem, diagnosed as cirrhosis and said to be the cause of his death, is well described but his general health and other sicknesses are scarcely recorded. This paper provides an overview of his anamnesis as far as it is known, the literature describing it and the level of knowledge generally published, and it also indicates where original research in the archives is needed to complete the picture.

The Lifelong Mysterious Relapsing “Kidney” Disease of the Founder of Turkey; Atatürk (1881–1938) in Connection with European Medical and Political History

“…During his youth on the Balkan Peninsula during military training, he suffered from non-/gonococcal urethritis, a troublesome urological disease which was relatively common at the time, before the antibiotic revolution triggered by the pioneering discovery of penicillin by Scottish physician Alexander Fleming at St Mary's Hospital in London in 1928. This grandiose period of antibiotics lasted till 1950 before the beginning of widespread drug resistance [1,2,4]. Pyelonephritis should be mentioned secondarily in his reported medical history as he had suffered from this kidney disease many times during his life along with urethritis, which may be considered a predisposing factor to upper urinary system infection in an ascendant way, although this connection was rarely reported in the contemporary medical literature [1,5].…”

“…This grandiose period of antibiotics lasted till 1950 before the beginning of widespread drug resistance [1,2,4]. Pyelonephritis should be mentioned secondarily in his reported medical history as he had suffered from this kidney disease many times during his life along with urethritis, which may be considered a predisposing factor to upper urinary system infection in an ascendant way, although this connection was rarely reported in the contemporary medical literature [1,5]. The first attack of flank pain accompanying high fever made him bedridden during Ottoman-Italian clashes in Tripoli (Trablus) in Northern Africa in 1911 when he was a major official.…”

“…He may have been considered as a heavy smoker and drinker and these most probably were the main reasons behind his chronic illnesses. It was reported that he had been suffering from various diseases such as malaria, eye and ear infections, angina pectoris, bone fractures, and cirrhosis as well as the liver disease that finally caused his death due to his mortality reason at the age of 57 years [1][2][3]. In this study, we have reviewed the literature regarding his symptoms in the context of nephrology and urology paying close attention to the related history of medicine from the recent past to the present.…”

“…Nevertheless, Atatürk had some other renal colic/flank pain attacks around the times of the foundation of the republic in 1923 and he continued spa treatments for his whole life thereafter, and then the disturbance of his hepatobiliary symptoms such as abdominal hydrodistention and jaundice surpassed the urinary system ones that never reported again [1][2][3]. In our opinion, previous multiple bouts of pyelonephritis led to renal insufficiency also played a role in his death and cirrhosis.…”