Between medicine and art – about the prose of professor Andrzej Szczeklik

Abstract

Professor Andrzej Szczeklik (1938-2012) was a great physician, scientist and humanist. He specialized in cardiology and pulmonology. Except medicine his interest include: literature, music, painting, philosophy. His most famous books are: Catharsis: On the Art of Medicine, Kore: On Sickness, the Sick and the Search for the Soul of Medicine and Immortality. Promethean dream of medicine. In his books he described not only own medical experience but they were also reflection of living and passing. Professor Andrzej Szczeklik described how we reached the contemporary knowledge about health and illness. The history of medicine is full of numerous successes and failures. Through the ages the priests, shamans, physicians, alchemists, tried to free a man from death. The contemplation of the works of art as well as creating them may have a beneficial influence on humans. Paracelsus believed that the nature is a great pharmacy which provides us various medicines. In many paintings were portrayed the sick people and physicians. Art and medicine always existed next to each other. We often use the phrases ”the art of healing” to emphasize the connection of medicine with artistic pieces.