Karolos Alexandridis (1885-1978)

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ

Portrait of Professor Karolos Alexandrides

Karolos Alexandridis (1885-1978), founder of the School of Medicine of the University of Thessaloniki (1942), was the first Professor of Pathology and the first Dean of the School. Pioneer & famous for his research on hemoglobinopathies, tropical diseases, typhoid fever, cholera & plagues that were endemic in Greece during the Balkan wars and the Great War.

In 1914, together with other doctors of the time, he founded the association "Medical Association of Thessaloniki". Founding member of the Medical Association of Thessaloniki (1924) and the Medical Society of Thessaloniki (1928), its first President and later continuously president, from 1952-1958. Corresponding member of the Medical Society of Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Stockholm, Paris, Rome, London, Cambridge, Oxford, Madrid, New York, Washington, New Delhi, Nairobi, titles acquired due to continuous lectures, organization of conferences and of his intense research and writing activity, especially between the years 1920-1965, in European and American medical journals, on the subject of hemoglobinopathies that were endemic in areas of Halkidiki, tropical diseases, typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, liver diseases, plagues. He introduced the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis by artificial pneumothorax and the treatment of epidemic meningitis by intrathecal injections of antimeningitis serum. He specialized in electrocardiography in Vienna, from where he brought the first electrocardiograph in 1924. He also brought the first artificial kidney machine to Greece in 1961. His name became a pole of attraction for the defection of his most prominent colleagues to lectures in Thessaloniki, such as Sir Alexander Fleming (22/10/52 at the Society of Macedonian Studies), Dr. Paul White and Karl Müller (1962), whom he hosted in his mansion on Vasileos Georgiou. He knew and spoke French, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish and at the age of 78 he learned Russian.

His portrait is displayed in the Ceremony Hall of the Philosophy School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Biography

Early age and studies

He was born in May 1885 in Serres, Macedonia, the youngest of four brothers and one sister. His father Dimitrios Alexandrou Alexandridis (born in Serres in 1845, married in 1877 to Athina Papakostidou -mother of Karolos-, had five children and died in 1918) was a landowner, tobacco merchant and manufacturer of the Greek cigarettes "Patris", "3A ” and “Zenith”, at the end of the 19th century.

Karolos spent his childhood in Serres, where he finished primary school.

During his high school studies and at the urging of his father, he broadened his education by learning foreign languages ​​such as French, German and English.

In 1903 he graduated from Serres High School with honors and in the same year, as he mentions in his Memoirs, the Macedonian Struggle began, his parents sent him to Athens with the main purpose of completing the learning of the German language and enrolling at the University Athens, where for one year he attended courses in History of Philosophy (Professor Evaggelidis), Linguistics (Professor G. Hatzidakis), Philology (Professor Sp. Lambrou), History of Music (Professor L. Kitsos), Chemistry - Physics (Professor Ant. Christomanos) and Latin (professors Sakelaropoulos and Vassos)..

In Germany

In October 1904 his father, seeing his appeal for learning and inclination towards Medicine & Philosophy, decided to send him to Germany for higher studies. Thus, he left Athens and via Dresden arrived in Leipzig, where he began his studies in Medicine and Philosophy, which were also his passion. At the Medical School of Leipzig he attended courses from professors famous at the time such as Trendelenburg of Surgery and "first in the world to perform open heart surgery to remove a clot from the pulmonary artery" and Wilhelm Wundt, famous professor of Philosophy, course which was taught at the Medical School.

In 1908, he transferred to the Medical School of the University of Munich, where the famous professors taught: Döderlein (Obstetrics-Gynecology), Dürck and Böllinger (Pathological Anatomy), Everbusch (ophthalmology), von Klausner (surgery). During the clinical semesters he served as an assistant in the Pathology Clinics of Professors Friedrich Miller, Richard Bauer and Richard May and in the Psychiatric Clinic of Professor Emil Kräpelin.

In 1910, he received his degree from the Medical School of the University of Munich with the grade "excellence" and 1 1/2 years later he was awarded a Doctor of the University of Munich with the grade Suma cum Laude (excellence). He would have continued his academic career there had it not been for the Balkan War and the First World War which put an end to his career at the University of Munich.

Return and Action

At the end of 1911 he returned to his native town of Serres, which was still under Turkish rule, settled there temporarily, as he believed, and began to practice as a pathologist-tuberculologist as Director of the Serres Hospital, with the prospect of returning to the University of Munich where the university position awaited him. But the Balkan War and the First World War put an end to his career at the University of Munich.

"At that time", as he writes in his 'Memoirs', "many Serreans were brutally slaughtered by the Bulgarians who were defeated in Lachanan and were fleeing. I would certainly be among them, because I, behaving foolishly, continued to make medical visits - of course for free - so the Bulgarian butchers came and arrested me, and I was saved by the family friend Georgios Zlatkos, who was the consul of Austria-Hungary and as such had some tolerance of the Bulgarians". It should be noted that in order for Karolos Alexandridis to obtain a license to practice the profession, he was forced to go to Constantinople and, as he describes, wearing, as he describes, a mandatory "leg retikota and a high fez", to take exams before a committee of Turkish medical professors of the University there, because at that time the license was granted only by Turkish universities.

In 1913 he established a medical practice in Thessaloniki on Vasileos Georgiou Street.

Professor K. Alexandridis started as the Director of the Serres Hospital until 1913. During the first world war he served, as a medical captain, in various military hospitals. Particularly valuable for Karolos was his service under Professor Antonios Christomanos, Chief Surgeon of the Army at the time, with whom he collaborated in dealing with the great epidemic of the Spanish flu, which had occurred and caused a large number of deaths. When the city of Serres was set on fire by the Bulgarians, he came as Director of the Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Thessaloniki.

In 1914, together with other doctors of the city, he founded the union "Medical Association of Thessaloniki".

In 1919, while still serving in the Greek Army, he was appointed Director of Pathology at the Municipal Hospital of Thessaloniki, a position in which he remained, with various breaks, until 1942, when he was elected and appointed Full Professor of Pathology, at the newly founded Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki.

In 1920 he married Antigoni Tornivuka (1893-1962), a woman who demonstrated intense social and philanthropic activity. Founding member of the "Children's Asylum" (1918), he served for years as its President. With her initiatives, the "Asylum" acquired the first incubator in Thessaloniki, while during the war she was a member of the Board of Directors of the "Patriotic Front" and President of the "Ladies' Brotherhood". An ideal hostess and wife, she deservedly stood up to the exuberant scientific and social activities of Charles. She followed him and looked after him on all his trips to the international conferences he went to for lectures and announcements. Alexandridis loved her dearly, he was not lucky enough to have children and unfortunately he lost her early.

In 1928 together with the distinguished and widely accepted physicians of Thessaloniki of all specialties of that time, T. Sakellaridis, M. Meimari, V. Nomiko, T. Andreadis, E. Koliuska, Iliadis, V. Polychroniadis, I. Nino, P Kogiali, D. Zora, founded the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, of which he served as President several times, while he was also awarded the title of honorary president.

Later he was awarded the title of corresponding member of the Medical Society of Athens and of many Societies abroad, including those of Vienna, London, Hamburg, Rome, etc. He participated in international conferences with announcements, in Dresden, Munich, Hamburg, Stockholm, New York, Paris, Rome, Nairobi, New Delhi. His works were published in the most valid medical journals abroad, while his name became a pole of attraction for the invitation of his most famous colleagues: Sir Alexander Fleming, the famous American cardiologist Dr. Paul White, Karl Müller and others, whom he hosted in his residence on King George.

In 1940 he enlisted as a volunteer in the war, until then he had not published more than 100 papers, a record number for the time, since at that time writing and printing a paper was very difficult.

"In 1942, during the German occupation, the Medical School of Thessaloniki was founded, led by Alexandrides".

After World War II

On March 25, 1945, he delivered the first "free" Sermon after the Occupation in the large hall of the University.

In 1948, Karolos Alexandridis began research on hemoglobinopathies and was the first to describe a case of sickle cell anemia in the village of Fourka, Halkidiki. Until then the idea prevailed that there were no hereditary hemoglobinopathies in Northern Greece, but he proved with his research in the villages of Halkidiki that 30% of the inhabitants are carriers of the stigma, he recommended a narrowing of the hereditary continuity and announced his findings at International Conferences on hemolytic anemias, in Neos Delhi, New York and in 1951 he gave a relevant lecture in London as a guest of the Royal Medical Society there.

He also observed that in Northern Greece sickle cell anemia was more frequent than in Mediterranean, in contrast to Southern Greece where the reverse was observed. In these investigations, he had as collaborators the Curators of the 1st Pathological Clinic Vasileia Tsigalidou, Dimitrios Ioan Alexandridis, Vasilios Stamoulis and I. Grammenos. ):

"When I returned from Germany to Serres in 1911, I found a great cholera epidemic raging, while the Turkish regime still existed and the health service was almost non-existent. I gained greater experience of cholera in 1913, when, during the Greek-Bulgarian war, I settled in Thessaloniki, where there was also a cholera epidemic. My observations during the epidemic have convinced me that the theory of Pettenkofer and Emmerich, called Grundwassertheorie or Bodentheorie, according to which the transmission of the disease of cholera and typhoid fever from a patient to another healthy person is non-existent or rare, since in order for the germ to be new contaminant had to pass through the ground, it was right.

Another epidemic at the same time was that of the blessing. We had prepared a special booth with red glass panes and red lights according to Fingen's theory, that in this way the formation of scars was avoided, which we did not confirm.

At the same time we had an epidemic of epidemic meningitis. For the first time, we applied then on a large scale the treatment by intratracheal injections of antimeningitis serum with good results.

Another epidemic was the bubonic plague, which sent even the doctors into a panic. For the first time, we applied an anti-pancreatic serum. We also had several cases of low fever. Almost at the same time, the Spanish flu pandemic broke out, and the opinion was expressed at the beginning that it might be pandemic pneumonia.

Another subject they dealt with were liver diseases.

Already being in Serras I attended a veritable epidemic of abscesses of the liver with a very poor prognosis.

Another chapter he dealt with was hematological diseases. Already from my student years at the Munich Clinic, hematology dominated, as our Director Professor Richard May was one of the best-known hematologists of the time. This greatly facilitated my study of the malaria that was plaguing our country at the time, since it occupied me greatly after arriving in Greece. Of particular interest to me was the jaundiced haemoglobinuric fever occurring in chronic malarial patients. Its frequency was unimaginable. We had the sad world record for the frequency of malaria in the world."

Alexandridis was the first to describe cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Macedonia. Thus, the name of quinine-resistant malaria was given to the cases that presented megasplenia, anemia and cachexia and did not "respond" to the treatment of large doses of the drug. In this way, the patients were literally poisoned by the large doses of administered quinine that were administered in the form of potions or injections, with the result that the bad course of the disease was accelerated.

The prevailing high incidence of tuberculosis was next to arouse his interest and to deal with it. He was the first to introduce the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis with an artificial pneumothorax in Northern Greece and the application of treatment with Tuberkulin Koch in nearly homeopathic doses. In cases of tuberculosis of the skin and bones, he applied the Gerson-Sauerbruch anal diet treatment.

Regarding diseases of the heart and circulatory system, he was the first to apply electrocardiography in Northern Greece and described the first cases of myocardial infarction. He characterized primary hypertension as a disease of adaptation, due to "stressful" factors, while he recommended, among other things, the application of fasting therapy to combat it.

Of particular interest in the history of medicine were several of his works dedicated to this subject, such as "Introduction to Clinical Pathology" (1955) where the historical development of clinical pathology is mentioned and "On the works of Democritus related to Medicine" ( 1960).

Alexandridis was president of the General Central Hospital for two years.

He served the First University Pathology Clinic for 17 years. That period tried and succeeded in introducing everything new and progressive for the benefit of patients, such as the installation of the first artificial kidney machine in Greece, the organization of a hematology-microbiology laboratory with Vasileia Tsigalidou in charge and later St. Melissa and K. Karageorgiou..

Leaving the University

In 1959 he left the University due to age limit but did not stop his activities. At the request of his successor at the 1st Pathological Clinic, Dimitriou Valtis, he continued to provide his services at the clinic during the absence of its Director. According to Professor D. Karamitsos, who at the time was D. Valtis's assistant, once they needed his help for a patient, Alexandridis came and diagnosed "Marseilles fever"! something that everyone was unaware of 

Antigone & Karolos Alexandridis (1920)

From 1921 onwards, he began to participate in Medical Congresses abroad, including in Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Rome, Milan, London, Cambridge, Oxford, Madrid, Lisbon and in the United States of America, New York , Washington, Philadelphia, Atlantic City.

In 1921, while he was being drafted, he served as director of the 3rd Military Hospital housed in a wing of the Municipal Hospital

In 1924 he went to Vienna, specialized in electrocardiography in the department of the then best known Professor of Cardiology Behringer and returning brought to Thessaloniki the first Electrocardiograph in Greece, which he installed in his practice on Vasileos Georgiou Street.

In the same year, Alexandridis together with other doctors of the city founded the Medical Association of Thessaloniki and began to organize conferences in the North of Greece, including the first Panhellenic Medical Conference that took place from October 11 to 13, 1926, in the "Dionysia" Cinema hall, on Hagia Sophia and later the Pan-Balkan Conference.

Professor Karolos Alexandridis, teaching pathology from an amphitheater at AHEPA hospital

He was a founding member and repeatedly president of the Thessaloniki Rotary Club and the Greek-German Association of Thessaloniki.

On 18/3/61 he was elected President of the Hellenic Red Cross, Thessaloniki branch, which he served for ten years until 1/1/71 when he was declared Honorary President.

The death of his wife Antigone in the same year cost him unimaginably.

At the same time as his activities related to medicine, Karolos Alexandridis and members of his family were active and involved in what was happening in the political life of the country and particularly in the ancestral land of Serres. In 1921, his brother Ioannis D. Alexandridis, became a deputy and Secretary of the revived Parliament under Eleftherios Venizelos.

Queen Frederiki & Karolos Alexandridis award diplomas to the volunteer sisters of the Hellenic Red Cross. (1961)

In his "Memoirs" published in 1975 and dedicated to the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki, which are admittedly a valuable source of anecdotes of the time, he describes with youthful vivacity the adventures he experienced during the First World War and the Partition, the frequent trips of between Thessaloniki and Athens, cities that were then the centers of two separate Greek States, memories full of interesting details.

Special mention should be made of the fact that his relations with his colleagues and students were characterized by gentleness, kindness, subtle humor, but also a deep scientific element. He handled the cleaner, written and spoken, correctly and with great comfort. Approachable, he was relatively strict in his dealings with students, but often lenient, especially in the oral examinations of the pathology course, so much so that most students called him "Uncle Charles". He liked to use his own expressions, which had a certain amount of irony. He used to say e.g. that "corticosteroids are the basis of any treatment, because there is no disease in which, either from the beginning, or after the failure of other therapeutic methods, they should not be administered"! He ridiculed & ridiculed the incorrect names of diseases given by foreigners and tried to correct them at international conferences. Thus he said that the word "thalassemia" means the content of sea in the blood. "In my articles in foreign magazines I demonstrated the literal stupidity of this word. Such terms abuse our language" he writes in one of his articles.

Flemig-Alexandridis at the meeting of the Medical Society, 22 October 1952

Always informed, thanks also to his frequent scientific trips, he created in Thessaloniki that academic atmosphere that was necessary for it to become a medical center, even before the School of Medicine was founded, of which he was one of the pillars. A cosmopolitan, due to his many trips abroad, he literally traveled around the world. His family, although he himself was not fortunate enough to have children, became "medical", as four of his brothers' children, one of their grandchildren, and a great-nephew, a total of six, graduated from the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, four of them were the first students of the newly founded School of Medicine of A.P.Th. (1942) and were important members of the medical community of Thessaloniki. They are: Dimitrios Ioannou Alexandridis, endocrinologist, later Director of the Endocrinology Clinic of the Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm, Vasilios Stamoulis, for many years Director of the Pathology Clinic of the Central Hospital of Thessaloniki, now "G. Gennimatas", Dimitrios Athanasiou Alexandridis, a radiologist, who later moved to and practiced in Athens as Director of Radiology at "Evangelismos", Ioannis K. Kyriazidis, pathologist, Vasos Papavasileiou, also a radiologist, Director of Radiology at IKA Thessaloniki and Alexandros-Konstantinos D Alexandridis, his brother's grandson, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Medical School of Athens.

Alexandridis Karolos was a corresponding member of the Grand Lodge of Greece from 1961 until his death

Recent years

Although he had no children, he reverently maintained the tradition of the pater familias, gathering at his home in Vasileos Georgiou twice a year without fail, all his relatives scattered throughout Greece, from Athens, Volos and Serres and applying ancestral customs of his birthplace city, such as e.g. the custom of "Haska", on Cheese-eating Sunday.

Mansion of Professor Karolos Alexandrides on Vasileos Georgiou A΄

He was honored with medals from the Greek, French, Spanish and Great Britain states. According to his will, his priceless library was donated to the Municipal Library of Serres. Unfortunately, all his medical tools including the electrocardiograph, the radiological and microbiological laboratory, the inverted ophthalmoscope that he had installed since 1924 in his practice and many works of art and furniture, were lost during the transfer of all his household goods from Vasileos Georgiou to Megalou Alexandrou in 1968. The university of Tiveno is maintained by the two grandsons of Alexander's older brother, Alexandros-Konstantinos D. Alexandridis, professor emeritus of the Faculty of Medicine of the Athens University of Applied Sciences and Eliza D. Alexandridou, professor emeritus of the Faculty of Law of the Athens University .Th..

He passed away and was buried with honors on April 28, 1978 from the Holy Church of God Sophia, and was buried according to his wish in the family tomb in Serres.

Writing project

The writing work of K. Alexandridis was extensive. He published or announced more than 200 papers, 98 of which in international journals and conferences. Articles describing diseases were published in the Great Greek Encyclopedia and many popular works in magazines and diaries.

Below, a selection of some of his works, from his publications, announcements and presentations in Greece & abroad, in chronological order, from 1911 to 1970, in which his pioneering research insight for the time is evident and in which the collaborators can be seen of, highly competent, scientifically qualified, well-known physicians of Thessaloniki in the first half of the 20th century.

1. Die Schwerlinie des Menschlichen Körpers bei Stehender Stellung-ihre Lage in Bezug auf die Füsse. K. D. Alexandridis. Inaugural-Dissertation, “Suma cum Laude” München, 1911.

2. About cholera in general & specifically about the Thessaloniki epidemic of 1913. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Department of Hygiene, Ministry of the Interior, 1914.

3. Cases of Kala Azar observed in Macedonia. C. Alexandridis. Rivista di Terapia Practica, Milano, Junio ​​1927.

4. Über das Vorkommen von Kala Azar in Macedonia. K. D. Alexandridis. Archiv für Schiffs. und Tropen-Hygiene, Band 33, 1929.

5. Zur Behandlung chronische Malaria bei Schwangeren, Therapie der Gegenwart, München, Februar, 1931.

6. On the etiology and treatment of icteric haemoglobinuric fever. K. Alexandridis. Hellenic Medicine, issue 2, 1932.

7. Report on icteric haemoglobinuric fever. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Panhellenic Medical Conference, 1935.

8. La nephrose ague ou nephropathie epitheliale tubulaire de la bilious hemoglobinurique. C. D. Alexandridis. Comptes rendus IIIe Congres International de Pathologie Comparee, Paris, 1936.

9. Die Behandlung der chronische Malaria und Malaria-folgen (Anemia, Megalosplenie, Cachexie) durch hohe dosen von Natr. Kokodylicum. Festschrift Nocht, Berlin, 1937.

10. Über die Ätiologie und Pathogenese des Scharzwasserfiebers. K. D. Alexandridis. Archiv f. Schiffts. und Tropen-Hygiene Heft 7, 1937.

11. About Epidemic Vertigo. K. Alexandridis. Greek Medicine, Issue 4 1937.

12. On electrocardiography and cases of myocardial infarction. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 1939.

13. Demonstration of a case of right heart with complete inversion of the viscera. Electrocardiogram. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 1939.

14. Malnutrition. Hypovitaminosis, Devitaminosis. Cases of edematous disease, beri-beri, pellagra, anemia. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 8.2.42.

15. About myocardial infarction with demonstration of electrocardiograms. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 20.12.42.

16. Case of a patient with aortic insufficiency presenting with complete asphyxia of the upper extremities and carotid sinus hyperreflexivity. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 12.12.43.

17. The first two cases of erythroblastic anemia in Macedonia. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 9.6.45.

18. Anemia of pregnancy. K. Alexandridis. Archives of Medical Sciences. Issue 1, 5.6.46.

19. On the automatic internal biliary fistula. K. Alexandridou, Sp. Kritikou. Archives of Medical Sciences, issue 3 1947.

20. Ellipsocytosis. The first case in Greece. K. Alexandridis. Hellenic Medicine, issue 10, 1947.

21. Four cases of tuberculous meningitis treated with streptomycin. K. Alexandridou, A. Fasianou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 12.4.48.

22. Adrenocortical tumor preparations from a woman with a penis-sized clitoris and a cyst. K. Alexandridou, Ap. Fasianou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 17.6.1948.

23. On multiple myeloma or Kahler's disease. Description of cases. K. Alexandridou, A. Fasianou, K. Karageorgiou, V. Stamoulis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 4.11.1949.

24. Case of sickle cell anemia. First case in Northern Greece. K. Alexandridou, K. Karageorgiou, A. Fassianou, I. Symeonidou, V. Stamoulis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 2.12.49.

25. Hyper-hypo-Dysplenism, or Banti's disease. C. D. Alexandrides. The 1950 Proceedings of the International Society of Haematology, Cambridge, 1950.

26. Nutritional Macrocytic Anemia in Greece. C. Alexandrides. The 1950 Proceedings of the International Society of Haematology, Cambridge, 1950.

27. Sickle cell trait, Sickle cell Anaemia, C. Alexandrides, H. Foy, Ath. Cond. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, No 6, 1951.

28. An outbreak of sickle cell anemia in the villages of Halkidiki. K. Alexandridou, S. Tzivanopoulou, G. Karageorgiou, G. Agiomamitis, K. Kokovini, D. Ioan Alexandridou. Minutes of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 30.10.52. It was also published in Hellenic Medicine, issue 2, 1953.

29. Addendum to the announcement of 30.10.52. Historical data proving the raid & stay of pirates driven from North Africa to Ormilian. K. Alexandridis. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 4.12.52.

30. Dysplenism in tuberculous megasplenia. K. Alexandridou, S. Tzivanopoulou, G. Karageorgiou, V. Stamoulis, E. Siapera, K. Kokovini & A. Melissas. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 4.12.52.

31. An unusual Epidermic Cyst. The Lancet, C. Alexandrides, May 1952.

32. Hypertension as an adaptation disease. K. Alexandridis. Presentation at the 9th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens, Thessaloniki, 1953.

33. Foci of Sicklemia in Northern Greece. Reflections on the etiopathogenesis of Sicklemia. C. Alexandrides, Comptes rendus du 5e Congres International du Paludisme et des Maladies Tropicales. Istanbul 1953.

34. Malarial anemia of pregnancy. C. Alexandrides. Comptes rendus du 5e Cogres Internationale du paludisme et des maladie Tropicales. Istanbul, 1953.

35. Introduction on sickling. K. Alexandridou. 10th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens, Ioannina, 1954.

36. Monosymptomatic case of sickle cell anemia. K. Alexandridou, V. Stamoulis, V. Tsigalidou, D. I. Alexandridou. 10th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens, Ioannina, 1954.

37. Myelogenous leukemia after pulmonary localization. K. Alexandridou, I. Symeonidou, A. Melissa, I. Mantzouridou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 11.6.54. Also published in Hellenic Medicine, June 1954.

38.. Dysplenismo dis splinomegalia tubercolare “spleno-hepato-ganglionare syndrome”. C. Alexandrides. Gazzetta sanitaria, No 10, anno 1954.

39. Der Erbgang der Mittelmeer-hämopathien. K. Alexandrides. V. Congress of the European Society for Hematology. September 1955.

40. Lipophagic Granuloma “The nodular Symmetrical Liposclerosis a Collagen Disease”. C. Alexandrides. Proceedings of the Third International Congress of Internal Medicine. Stockholm, September 1954.

41. Gruveilier Baumgarten syndrome with patient presentation. K. Alexandridou, V. Stamoulis, D. I. Alexandridou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 4.11.55.

42. Effect of Butazoliden on the sedimentation rate of red blood cells. K. Alexandridou, V. Stamoulis, V. Tsigalidou, G. Papazachariou, D. I. Alexandridou. 11th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens, Rhodes 1955.

43. Introduction to Clinical Pathology. K. Alexandridou. Scientific Yearbook of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki, 1955.

44. Sur un cas de leukemie megakaryo-cytaire. Considerations sur la pathogenie et la classificatios des affections du tissu myeloytaire. C. Alexandrides, S. Tzivanopoulos, V. Stamoulis, D. I. Alexandrides. 4e Congres de la Societes International de Medicine Interne. Madrid 1956.

45. Sur un cas de pemphigus traite par des doses enormes de cortizone et A.C.T.H. C. Alexandrides, P. Pierobonis. 4e Congres de la Societes International et Medecine Interne. Madrid 1956.

46. ​​Colgemid treatment of leukemia. K. Alexandridou, V. Stamoulis, V. Tsigalidou, D. I. Alexandridou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 24.2.56.

47. Case of rare localization of Echinococcus band cysts within the myocardium. K. Alexandridou, S. Tzivanopoulou, K. Kokovini. Hellenic Medicine, issue 8, 1956.

48. Enteric parasites in Greece. K. Alexandridou. Papers at the 13th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens, Mytilini, 1957.

49. Protozoische Dermoparasitosen. C. Alexandrides (Vortrag gehalten vor der Gesellschaft für Innere Medizin, in Wien am 6. Juni 1957). Wiener Zeitschrift für Innere Medizin, Heft 11, 1957.

50. Zur Behandlung der Leukämien mit Colgemid. C. Alexandrides, B. Stamoulis, V. Tsigalidou und D. I. Alexandrides. Blut, Heft 2, 1957.

51. Treatment and Prophylaxis of Protozoal Intestinal Parasitosis. K. Alexandrides. 5th Congress of the International Society of Internal Medicine, Philadelphia, 1958.52. Case of universal fibrous osteitis. K. Alexandridou, V. Stamoulis, D. I. Alexandridou, V. Tsigalidou. Bulletin of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 4.4.1958.

53. Mass vesico-ureter-renal reflux in cases of Marion's disease. K. Alexandridou, I. Dermata, K. Kokovini, K. Kofokotsiu. Hellenic Medicine, issue 10, 1958.

54. The study and diagnosis of liver and gall bladder diseases through laparoscopy. K. Alexandridou, K. Kokovini, V. Tsigalidou. Hellenic Medicine, issue 10, 1958.

55. Clepsy hydroid extrameningeal mesenchymoma extending to the left posterior mesopneumon and causing Coast-Tobias syndrome. Excision of the tumor in two stages. K. Alexandridou, M. Sigala, M. Nedelkou, K. Kokovini, and T. Panidou. Announcement made to the Medical Society of Thessaloniki 6.2.59. It was published in Galinos magazine, issue 2-3, 1959.

56. Syndrome de Budd-Chari et polycythemia vraie. C. Alexandrides, C. Cocovinis et V. Tsigalidou. Revue Internationale d'Hepatologie, No 3, 1959.

57. Case of myelogenous leukemia with transverse myelitis. K. Alexandridou, S. Tzivanopoulou. Proceedings of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki, 18.12.59.

58. Home on the Second Day after Delivery. K. Alexandrides. British Medical Journal, 6 February 1960, p. 529.

59. On the works of Democritus related to Medicine. K. Alexandridou. Proceedings of the XVII International Congress of the History of Medicine. Athens-Kos, September 4-14, 1960.

60. Greek Derivatives in Medicine. K. Alexandrides. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Vol. 55, p.105-106, 1961.

61. Die Hereditären Mittelmeer-hämoglobinopathien in Griechenland. C. Alexandrides. Wiener Zeitschrift für Innere Medizin. Heft 2, Jahrgang 1961.

62. A case of poisoning from a centipede bite. K. Alexandridou. Announcement made at the 17th Congress of the Medical and Surgical Society of Athens in Olympia, 11.4.61.

63. Über die Krankheiten des Kaisers Alexios I. Komninos. C. Alexandrides. Vortrag gehalten in 12. International Byzantinologischen Kongres. Byzantinische Zeitschrift, band 55, 1962.

64. Sur la frequence des hemoglobinopathies mediterranneenes en Grece. C. Alexandrides et V. Stamoulis, Proc. Soc. Haemat., Lisbon 1963, S. Karger, Basel. Published in Folia Biochemica et Biologica Graeca, 1964.

65. The advances and developments of Medicine in recent years. The doctor's position in this, forecast for future progress and evolution. K. Alexandridis. Speech delivered to the Academy of Athens during the Session of April 21, 1963. Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, 1963.

65. The nature, origin, beginning and evolution of life on earth. The appearance of man and his biological, genetic and cultural-social evolution. K. Alexandridis. Speech delivered to the Academy of Athens during the Session of November 25, 1965. Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, Year 1965: Volume 40.

66. Sur les maladies de l’Empereur Theodoros I. Laskaris. Communication faite au XIII Congres International Byzantinologicue, Oxford, September, 1966.

67. The Chronicle of the Foundation of the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University. Under Karolos Alexandridou. Publication of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Volume I of the Scientific Journal of the Dental Department of the School of Medicine, Thessaloniki 1970.

Following a proposal by the members of the Academy of Athens, G. Ioakeimoglou, K. Choremi and I. Xanthakis, on June 15, 1961, a corresponding member of the Academy was elected, "in the Class of Positive Sciences".

As a member of the Academy of Athens he gave several lectures which were published in its Proceedings. Through them, today's reader can perceive their timelessness, the broad and restless spirit of Alexandrides and his deep knowledge in subjects that go beyond the narrow limits of medical science and pass into the limits of philosophy.

In his lecture at the Academy of Athens on November 25, 1965, at the age of 80, on "The nature, origin, beginning and evolution of life on earth", which in a way is his "swan song", since he mentions all existing theories about the origin of life, develops documented predictions for its evolution, which harmoniously touch both philosophy and medical science and is truly timeless, for this reason excerpts from his speech are listed:

"...What is sad is that nothing, or almost nothing, is being done to reduce or prevent diseases, which are due to unfavorable environmental conditions and not to hereditary or family factors. While every care is taken for the infant after it is born for its physical development by monitoring its weight, with a certain diet, with multiple prophylactic vaccines, etc., almost nothing is done for its mental development. The result of this is the increase in child criminality first of all the tentimboys, and later of the awful crimes, such as infanticide, parricide, incest and sexual perversions. Because of this state of affairs a general anxiety possesses humanity. Where are we going, where are we marching with today's downward spiral of evil. It is not only the danger of thermonuclear war that threatens the near extinction of the human race, but above all the moral collapse of man. What must be done, how to stop the descent towards which we are heading at an ever-accelerating speed. Some efforts are being made on an international scale, such as the moral rearmament for the moral rearmament of the human being of the Institut de la vie in Paris, which has as its program the examination and improvement of the human being from a biological, mental and moral point of view. Apart from this movement on an international scale, what would a doctor be able to do in his close environment? For this reason, I think that the doctor should be inspired by the great moral orders of Hippocrates, should be trained somewhat more specifically by being taught from the first years of his studies with physiology and psychology, and later should embrace psychosomatic thinking in medicine, in fact, a special office of mental health had to be established, so that he would be able to give his good advice, especially for the mental health of children. This would of course be easier if there were still the practice of the family doctor, who in many cases follows two or three generations of the same family and knows in detail the psychological makeup of parents and children. The work of the doctor should be combined with the work of his teacher and priest. Fortunately today religion tends to keep up with medicine in the concept of soul. The dualism in the "body and soul" concept in religion tends to be eliminated and to approach the oneist concept of medicine about the unity of body and soul. Doctor, teacher and priest would be able to form a higher mission triad, whose beautiful struggle for the mental formation of man will be far superior and more beautiful than all the advances of medicine, which succeeded in prolonging the duration of life but with humans many inferior biologically and physically and especially mentally. It would be possible to achieve this on a scientific basis and planning. Then the ideal of the State of Plato and the teaching of Christ would be achieved. Is this a dream, a utopia? I think no. What has been achieved and is continuously being achieved in the material world, which would not have appeared as a utopia a few years ago, I think will be able to be achieved in the mental world as well...."

Another quote:

"...Despite all the colossal advances of science, there is still much to study and research. There are problems and questions that are beyond human comprehension. It is these, the idea of ​​infinity, space and time, the local and temporal principle of the universe, the cause and purpose of creation. No theory explains how the organic was produced from the inorganic and how the psychic and spiritual were produced from it. The issues of so-called extrasensory perception are mysterious and in need of research, such as telepathy, i.e. the communication between the spirit of one person with the spirit of another located at a great distance, clairvoyance, i.e. the communication of a person with events received a country at a great distance, but also of other so-called supernatural phenomena, such as hypnotism, witchcraft, curses, magic and religious healing miracles.

Perhaps in the future it will be possible, through devices such as the electrocardiograph or any other device, to capture and record the mental functions of the individual's psychic radiation, as well as its effects on other individuals, in which case the interpretation of these phenomena would be clarified. It may be possible to achieve the independence of the cerebral cortex from the chamber so that its logical thoughts are not affected by emotions, impulses and emotions, but without reaching the point where man becomes a being governed exclusively by reason. Various but unsatisfactory interpretations have been attempted, such as the existence of a new kind of radiation or the theory of C.G. Jung on synchronicity. Also remarkable are the extraordinary, largely unexplained, achievements of YOGIs, who manage to move a single muscle at will, the smooth muscles, as well as to slow down or speed up the rhythm of the heart at will. They also describe strange physical sensations which they call KUNTALINI.

Thanks to the great advances in civilization, which were achieved through scientific research, human knowledge has increased tremendously and is increasing at a constantly faster rate. Despite all the advances, a spirit of pessimism prevails in a large part of the world. Close to the big questions about the purpose of the creation of the world, the Earth and man, which often give rise to anxious pessimism, comes the additional pessimism from the danger of the atomic bomb. Fortunately, in this apparently justified pessimism there are bright spots, giving hope for a better understanding of the future of humanity and coming from the class of scientists. The scientific world has reached the point where it constitutes a way of a de facto society, which, we hope, will soon become de jure. The existing fellowship of the scientific world would be able, in its union, to impose this mentality of fellowship and cooperation on politicians. The various international organizations, the U.N. itself. and the International Court of Justice in The Hague give such hope. The ideal would be the existence of a World Government and, if possible, with a scientist ruler. This is and should be an optimistic perspective for the future of humanity: the creation of a World Noosphere, as predicted by de Chardin!

Another quote:

"We have exposed the surprising results which the biological sciences are achieving today, having the perspective of creating and living matter as well, as well as influencing heredity at will. Moreover, all these wonderful and surprising results of the biological sciences are almost child's play before the greatness of creation. I am not talking about the system of galaxies, the various planetary systems and the stars, nor about the miracle of evolution, which started from the hydrogen atom or before it, reached the creation of man as well, of course with a path interrupted by some of discontinuity but always moving forward, towards something higher and more perfect. I descend even lower, to the composition of a molecule or atom or electrons or even these quanta and I stand dazzled and alone before the greatness of the vision. And I cannot with my human mind think anything other than that this whole masterpiece was created and governed by something higher, by a higher power, by a God, so I exclaim after the psalmist: 'How magnified are Your works. , Lord, you have always wrought in wisdom'

Discrimination

Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens "in the category of Positive Sciences" 1960.

President of the Hellenic Red Cross, Thessaloniki branch, from 1946 to 1961 & then honorary president.

Badges

Senior Brigadier General of the Order of the Phoenix of George I,

Brigadier General of the Order of Phoenix George II,

Gold Cross of the Order of the Savior & Legion of Honor,

Senior Brigadier General of the Order of the Savior et al.

He was also awarded with medals by the French, Spanish state and Great Britain. He was awarded numerous prizes, medals & distinctions from Medical Societies abroad, for his research and scientific work on hemoglobinopathies and tropical diseases.

Bibliography

Alexandridou Karolou, "Old Memories", Macedonian Diary, N.Sfendoni, 1954.

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, Biographical note of Karolos D. Alexandridos, Professor Emeritus of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki, 1960.

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, Session of June 15, 1961, chaired by Ioannis Trikkalinou, Actions and Decisions of the Academy, 1961

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, Session of October 12, 1961, chaired by Ioan Trikkalinou, Actions and Decisions of the Academy, 1961

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, extraordinary session of April 27, 1963, chaired by John Theodorakopoulos, speech of the corresponding member of the Academy, Professor Emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Karolos Alexandrides, on the subject: "The advances and developments of medicine in recent years." The doctor's position in this. Forecast for future progress and evolution". 1963.

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, extraordinary session of November 25, 1965, chaired by G. Athanasiadis Nova, speech by the corresponding member of the Academy, Karolos Alexandridos, on the subject: "1) The nature, origin, beginning and evolution of life on Earth Earth. 2) The appearance of man and his further biological-genetic and cultural-social evolution", 1965.

Proceedings of the Academy of Athens, Biographical note of Karolos D. Alexandridos, Professor Emeritus of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki, corresponding member of the Academy of Athens, 1966.

Alexandridou Karolou, "The Chronicle of the Foundation of the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University", Volume I of the Scientific Journal of the Dental Department of the School of Medicine, 1970.

Alexandridou Karolou, "SOUVENIRS", N. Nikolaidis printing house, Edited by Dinos Christianopoulos, 1975.

Stavros K. Polyzoides "Half a century with the Medical world of Thessaloniki", published by the Medical Association of Thessaloniki, 1990.

Goulis G., Pentagalos C. "50 Years of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki 1942-1992", University Studio Press 1992.

Alexandridis Alex.-Kon. D. "Medical Society of Thessaloniki 1928-2003. 75 years of journey in the history of our city", edited by Th. Dardavesis, Asst. Deligiannis, N. Dombros, Chromatyp Thessaloniki SA, pp. 96-99, 2003.

Alexandridis Alex.-Kon. D. "63 years of Medical School" edited by B. Kokka, University Studio Press, pp. 35-40, 2005.

Theodoros I. Dardavesis "The founding of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki (I.E.Th.) and its first years of operation". Medical Issues. Publication of the Medical Association of Thessaloniki, issue 37, 2005.

Karamitsos Dim. "D. Valtis and his school", Medical Matters, March 2008.

Alexandridou Karolou, personal service file, Medical School Secretariat Archives, 2008.

KAROLOS ALEXANDRIDIS "His life and work", published by the Society of Macedonian Studies, Mavrogenis Printing SA, Thessaloniki 2010.

Grammar F.K. "The history of the School of Medicine and especially of the 1st Pathology Clinic of the A.P.Th. in the first 30 years of its operation", Medical Issues, published by the Medical Association of Thessaloniki, issue 39, pp. 7-17, 2005.

Referrals

 Alexandridis, Karolos (1970). ""The Chronicle of the Foundation of the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University"". Volume I of the Scientific Bulletin of the Dental Department of the School of Medicine.

 Alexandridis, Karolos (1975). Christianopoulos, Dinos, ed. Memoirs. N. Nikolaidis Printing Offices. pp. 33, 78, 84, 159, 168, 178.

 Alexandridis, Karolos (2008). Personal service file. Archives of the Secretariat of the Medical School of A.P.Th. pp. .

 Th. Dardavesis, D. Christodoulou, A. Alexandridis, E. Alexandridou (2010). KAROLOS ALEXANDRIDIS "His life and work". published by the Society of Macedonian Studies, Thessaloniki. pp. 11, 15, 17, 28, 45, 50.

 Polyzoides, Stavros K. (1990). Half a century with the Medical world of Thessaloniki. Medical Association of Thessaloniki. pp. 22, 37, 47.

 Grammaticos, F.K. (2005). "The history of the School of Medicine and especially of the 1st Pathology Clinic of the A.P.Th. in the first 30 years of its operation". Medical Issues, issue 39: 7-17.

 [(Academy of Athens digital library offline) "Biographical note of Karolos D. Alexandridos, Emeritus Professor of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki"]. Proceedings of the Academy of Athens: 1-19. 1960.

 "Biographical note of Karolos D. Alexandridos, Professor Emeritus of the Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens". Proceedings of the Academy of Athens. 1966.

 Sphendoni, N. (1954). Macedonian Calendar. Thessaloniki. page 95.

 "Session of June 15, 1961, chaired by Ioannis Trikkalinou, Acts and Decisions of the Academy". Proceedings of the Academy of Athens: 283. 1961.

 Dardavesis, Theodoros I. (2005). "The establishment of the Medical Society of Thessaloniki (I.E.T.) and its first years of operation". Medical Issues, issue 37 (Medical Association of Thessaloniki).

 Karamitsos, Dimitris (2008). "D. Valtis and his school". Medical Issues, Issue 49: 49.

 Goulis G., Pentagalos (1992). 50 Years Medical School of the University of Thessaloniki 1942-1992. University Studio Press. pp. 6, 12, 15, 57, 66.

 Alexandridis, Alexandros-Konstantinos (2003). Medical Society of Thessaloniki 1928-2003. 75 years of journey in the history of our city. Chromatyp Thessaloniki SA. pp. 96-99.

 Alexandridis, Alexandros-Konstantinos (2005). 63 years of Medical School. University Studio Press. pp. 35-40.

 "Session of October 12, 1961, chaired by Ioannis Trikkalinou, Acts and Decisions of the Academy". Proceedings of the Academy of Athens. 1961.

 "extraordinary session of November 25, 1965, chaired by G. Athanasiadis Nova, speech by the corresponding member of the Academy, Karolos Alexandridos, with the following topics: "1) The nature, origin, beginning and evolution of life on Earth. 2) The appearance of man and his further biological-genetic and cultural-social evolution "". Proceedings of the Academy of Athens. 1965.

 "extraordinary session of April 27, 1963, chaired by Ioan. Theodorakopoulos, speech by the corresponding member of the Academy, professor emeritus of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Karolos Alexandrides, on the subject: "The advances and developments of medicine in recent years. The position of the physician in she. You foresee for the future progress and evolution"". Proceedings of the Academy of Athens. 1963.