[Polish historical collection at the University of Edinburgh]

The Polish School of Medicine, a joint Scottish-Polish academic enterprise, established in 1941 at the University of Edinburgh for soldiers-students in the Polish Forces, ceased its activity in 1949, four years after the end of the war. Owing to the stalinist terror in occupied Poland most of the 227 graduates remained in the West. There was a deep feeling of gratitude towards the University on the part of the graduates of the Polish School. The 25th anniversary of the School in 1966 was an opportunity to convoke in Edinburgh a world reunion of the graduates. At the academic ceremony two gold medals were presented to the University. The warm reception extended by the University, prompted the resolution to hold quinquennial world reunions in Edinburgh. Since then world reunions were held in Edinburgh every 5 years with meetings with the University authorities and presentation of gifts. By 1980 the number of gifts accumulated to such extent that the seminar room in the Erskine Medical Library was selected for the permanent display of the gifts; this served to intensify the collection of exhibits. Gifts were chosen to remind of certain events in the Polish history of medicine, especially items reflecting Polish links with Scotland. The highest achievement in the Scottish-Polish links, was of course the creation of the Polish School of Medicine. The official opening of the Historical Collection took place in June 1986 on the occasion of a world reunion on the 45th anniversary of the School. It was marked by the unveiling of a memorial plaque. On this ocasion another venture was also initiated: the opening of the Polish School of Medicine Memorial Fund at the University of Edinburgh. It was funded by the graduates to provide scholarship for young doctors from Poland. Another venture was the creation of the "Professor Antoni Jurasz lectureship" for Edinburgh professors to lecture in Medical Academies in Poland. The Historical Collection of the Polish School of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh is a permanent memorial to the magnanimity of the University left by the graduates. It is at the same time a windowshow of a 300 years old Scottish-Polish history of medicine.