POLISH STUDIES OF THE MEDICAL TRADITIONS OF THE AINU.

Present knowledge of the history of Ainu culture is owed in significant part to Polish Far-East researchers Bronislaw Pilsudski (1866-1918) and Waclaw Sieroszewski (1858-1945). They were both exiled to Siberia for their patriotic activity at the time where Poles struggled for independence. Bronislaw Pilsudski is known for using glass photographic plates and wax recording cylinders for recording the already disappearing culture of the Ainu people. It is thanks to his research that we are able today to trace back the names of over 100 plants that had therapeutic, and as believed by Ainu, also magical power. The plants with the highest therapeutic significance had common characteristics: strong effects, intensive scent and stings. Nowadays, the Ainu people constitute an ethnic minority in Japan (population of over 20 000) and are supported by the Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies at the Hokkaido University in Sapporo.

[Naturalists, collectors and theoreticians of museology]. / Przyrodnicy, kolekcjonerzy i teoretycy muzealnictwa.

The origins of the contemporary collectorship dates from times when the sameness of art and science was commonly accepted. In those days relics of the ancient past and natural individuals of newly discovered lands were presented at the same time. Cosmological character of the collections manifested the tenacity of recognition and representation of the surrounding reality. A great impact on completion of collections of curiosities in Europe had Netherlands, and in the basin of Baltic Sea a remarkable significance was gained by Hanseatic Gdansk. Collections of Jakub Breyn, Jakub Klein and Gotfryd Reyger became famous then. In the same way were imported individuals for Anna Jablonowska that composed one of the most interesting European collections. In course of time merging such a great multiplicity of collections was beyond collectors' power and museum pieces from collections of curiosities were parcelled out. It was a real beginning of specialistic museums. A role of museum for science results from its function of methodical organizing collections that can be used by research workers. However, although the aims of scientific and museum centres are different, they come together on the occasion of museum recognition works when museums' workers borrow essential knowledge and methods from resources of science, and scientists search for useful research materials in museum resources.

[Popular knowledge about medicaments in 19th century periodicals]. / Potoczna wiedza o lekach w czasopismach dziewietnastowiecznych.

Polish periodicals published since the beginning of 19th century contained household knowledge which was of great importance to peasants. In the second half of 19th century the number of articles related to prevention, treatment as well as life hygiene (including nutrition guidance) enlarged significantly. The term "household medicine box# was very often used in periodicals as titles of both: sections dedicated to hygiene or medicine as well as for articles describing medicaments intended to be kept in the boxes. Articles referenced law regulations stated in "law for pharmacists and pharmacies# from 1844. The availability of medical handbooks widened with the end of the century and this fact may have caused the changes in profiles of numerous medical sections in popular periodicals. However the changes did not affect publications related to contents of medical boxes.