Zagraniczne studia Floriana Sawiczewskiego (1797–1876), krakowskiego lekarza i farmaceuty .......... 371

FLORIAN SAWICZEWSKI (1797–1876), KRAKOW DOCTOR AND PHARMACIST, AND HIS STUDIES ABROAD

For hundreds of years, a characteristic trait of the medical profession has been continuous autonomous learning and training, but also an interest in scientific advancement abroad. For this reason, since the Middle Ages Polish doctors have been travelling to major university and medical centres abroad to study. The interest of Polish doctors in studying abroad developed on a larger scale after the publication of the “Słownik lekarzy polskich” [“Dictionary of Polish Doctors”] (1883–1888) by Stanisław Kośmiński. Whenever possible, the author listed where the doctors had studied. This was followed by numerous descriptions of educational centres, including Padua, Montpellier, Basel, Königsberg, Berlin and Wrocław. These studies are summarised in the book by T. Brzeziński, “Polskie peregrynacje po dyplomy lekarskie” [“Polish peregrination in pursuit of medical degrees”] (1999). The tradition of doctors studying abroad was strong and vibrant in the Krakow Academy. Examples include Maciej of Miechów, Szymon Syreniusz, Andrzej Badurski, and Rafał Józef Czerwiakowski. The emergence of three major medical communities in Vienna, Paris and Berlin at the end of the eighteenth century led to an increase in the number of Poles travelling to these centres. This article presents the reports of Florian Sawiczewski from Krakow, who held degrees of master of pharmacy and doctor of medicine and surgery. This Polish traveller began his studies in Vienna. He grew thoroughly familiar with hospitals and chemistry and natural science laboratories. He studied at the university and the polytechnic. He became acquainted with many outstanding Austrian scientists. He conducted experiments in chemistry at the university. In Paris, he attended lectures in physical and natural sciences at the Sorbonne, the Collège de France, the medical school and the Conversatoires des Arts et Métiers. He became acquainted with prominent scientists such as Cuvier and Gay-Lussac. He also got to know the Parisian hospitals. The fruit of his studies in Paris was not only the expansion of his knowledge (he attended lectures from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.), but also learned new techniques used in France, including acupuncture, artificial leeches and the stethoscope, which he purchased for the medical school in Krakow.