[Central anti-typhus committee (August 1, 1919-March 5, 1920)]

During the first period of the independence of Poland, just after the first World War (1919-1921), the fight against ramped epidemics of acute infectious diseases was a main priority. The most important task of the Ministry of Public Health was the organization of the control of infectious diseases, and especially typhus. In 1919, the government named the Central Anti-Typhus Committee. However, the Committee was a collective institution without necessary competences and resources and its efforts to control typhus epidemics have been unsuccessful. At the end of 1919, there was a dramatic spread of typhus especially in the eastern parts of the country, still suffering from the war. In March 1920, the Central Anti-Typhus Committee has been replaced by the Extraordinary Epidemic Commissariat which has been endowed with special, emergency staff and resources. The Commissariat was headed by Prof. Emil Godlewski, who was soon nicknamed "tyhus tsar"; for the most affected regions competent regional commissars were appointed. The legal ground of the Extra ordinary Epidemic Commissariat was the parliament bill on 14th July 1920. This body took over from the Public Health Minister responsibilities for the fight against epidemics. The work of Commissariat had stopped the epidemics and improved epidemical status of Poland which could be seen from 1923 onwards.