Dr Karol de Beaurain : a psychiatrist's profile : part 1

The paper sets out to recall the profile of Karol de Beaurain, a psychiatrist who belonged to the circle of first Poles who used psychoanalysis in treatment. So far, dr Beaurain has been known from brief references in publications relating to the life and works of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz (Witkacy) whose psychoanalytic sessions he conducted between 1912 and 1913. De Beaurain was born in 1867 and studied medicine at Swiss universities (Zurich, Berne, Geneva) where he defended his doctoral thesis as well. He was prepared for the career of a health resort physician and when he returned to Poland, he settled down in Poronin where except for working as a district physician, he also engaged in social and cultural activities. Around 1910 his professional interest shifted towards psychiatry and psychotherapy. In the final months of 1911 he relocated to Zakopane where he opened a private practice for “neurotic diseases”. At the same time he started treating patients with the use of psychoanalytic methods. The first part of the paper concerns the life of doctor de Beaurain from birth and the period of studies and preparation for his professional career until the time when he started his psychoanalytic work.