Typhus fever was a lethal disease of mankind. Elucidation of its origin and spread was due to more or less unscientific approaches at the time. Only in the second half of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century the period of a scientific approach to knowledge of its etiology, clinical aspects and epidemiology started. A great contribution was made in this respect by Czech doctors. The latter included Professor Hlava who made a series of experiments which were among the first which investigated the etiology of this disease. He may be therefore quite rightly included among one of the discoverers of the origin of typhus fever.

        Key words: typhus fever – Czech doctors – Prof. Hlava.