PROFESSOR SLAWOMIR S. RUMP, M.D., D.Sc.
Physician, Pharmacologist, Toxicologist, Scientific Advisor
Born July 22, 1929

Since 1959, Professor Slawomir S. Rump has been deeply engaged in the experimental study of the toxico-dynamics of organophosphates and of prophylactic measures, pretreatment and treatment of acute poisonings with those toxic agents. His special interest has been in convulsions in acute intoxications with organophosphates.  In 1972 he published an original paper on the beneficial effects of diazepam as an anticonvulsant drug adjunct to the conventional therapy of organophosphate acute intoxication, which consisted of cholinolytics and acetylcholinesterase reactivators. This paper continues to be cited in the literature and is cited in the US Army ”Textbook of Military Medicine: Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare”.

Dr. Rump graduated from the Medical Faculty, Warsaw Medical University in 1952. In 1959 he was called-up for two years service in the Polish Army. After finishing the advanced courses in toxicology and radiotoxicology, Dr. Rump was directed to the Military Institute of Chemistry and Radiometry. Concomitantly he studied experimental pharmacology in the Department of Pharmacology, Drug Research Institute and Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty in Warsaw. In a short time he became head of the Laboratory of Toxicology, Military Institute of Chemistry and Radiometry. He found the work interesting and decided to join the Army as a regular officer.

In 1965 he defended his doctoral thesis in the Medical Faculty, Warsaw Medical University. In 1969, after a colloquium and lecture, he received the scientific degree of Doctor of Science in Pharmacology, also in the Warsaw Medical University. Dr. Rump moved to the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology in 1974, where he organized the Department of Pharmacology, and where he was head of the joint Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology from 1981. In 1976 he received the scientific title of Associate Professor (in Poland – Extraordinary Professor) and in 1986 of Professor (in Poland – Ordinary Professor). Professor Rump retired from the Army with a rank of Colonel in 1991. He is still working in the Department as a Senior Scientist, with a title of Professor.  He is an author or co-author of 213 scientific papers (109 of them indexed) and four books (the most recent of them “Medicine of Chemical Disasters” [in Polish] was published in 2004).

As a recognized authority in toxicology of chemical warfare agents, Professor Rump was invited in the 1980s to take part in activities of the Expert and Technical Advisors Team of the Working Group of Chemical Warfare, Conferences on Disarmament, United Nations Organization in Geneva. This Group was engaged in preparations for the future Chemical Warfare Convention. Professor Rump also participated in the activities of Chemical Warfare Group of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs.

In 1989 Professor Rump was elected President of the Polish Pharmacological Society for a three year term. Professor Rump also actively participated also in several Chemical and Biological Medical Treatment Symposia (Spiez and Cairo) and other similar meetings and published articles in ASA Newsletters and Journal of Medical Chemical Defense, now the Journal of Medical Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense (last of them in 2004).