The mentally ill in the Bonifrati hospital in Kraków in the XVII-XVIII century

Abstract

Among several hospital monasteries of the Reformation period the Brothers Hospitallers occupy an important place. Brothers of Mercy arrived in the Polish Republic in the early seventeenth century. In this century about 17 convent hospitals were established in the country. Such intense development of the monastery was in large extent due to an innovative approach to hospital services. The Brothers Hospitallers run the general hospitals in the country, in which they were mainly treating patients. Among the hospital patients there were also people affected by mental illness. The Brothers became known as those, who in a professional manner took care of the mentally ill and intellectually disabled. The founder of the monastery of St. John of God advised that in the treatment process of mentally ill there should be in particular - concern, sup- port and care. He proposed a holistic approach to the patient during the therapy - treatment of both body and soul.