B. Urbanek "Zawód lekarza na ziemiach polskich w XIX i XX wieku".

Title: The Medical Profession in Poland in the 19th and 20th Centuries Author: Bożena Urbanek Year of publication: 2009 Description: The origins of the medical profession date back to antiquity, but its most rapid development occurred at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The advancement of knowledge, the increasing availability of professional publications, professional contacts, and trips abroad all contributed to the development of medical specialties. Among the first specialties to develop at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries were surgery, obstetrics, and ophthalmology, which deals with eye diseases. The significant technological progress characteristic of this period consequently led to the gradual crystallization of other specialties and elevated medicine to a level entirely different from what had existed previously. But how did this global progress translate into the functioning and shaping of working conditions in an ordinary doctor’s office? How did this process unfold in Poland? The author answers these questions with true precision, analyzing the working conditions and equipment of the time, while also highlighting new medical interventions introduced then, such as first aid provided by emergency medical services. In her analysis, she draws on a wealth of sources, including archival materials, the press, as well as Polish film and other artistic works—including medical ones—and profiles well-known doctors, including the first women to practice in this profession. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of medicine.