Georg Haas: A forgotten pioneer of haemodialysis

SUMMARY: Georg Haas (1886–1971) is a forgotten pioneer who had made seminal contributions to the development of the concept of haemodialysis. He was the first to carry out clinically successful haemodialyses. After a period of thorough physicochemical training he lucidly formulated the physical principles underlying haemodialysis, but faced enormous practical difficulties because of the insufficient state of bioengineering. This prevented a more widespread introduction of the technique which was clinically successful despite limited dialytic efficacy.