[Klemens Maleszewski--the pioneer of electroshock therapy in Polish psychiatry].

On the grounds of Lithuanian and Russian archival materials unpublished so far, the paper presents the professional activity and psychiatric views of Klemens Maleszewski (1798-1873), who was the head of Vilnius's Asylum in 1837-1864. The time of 50s and 60s of the 19th century was a period of increasing attention about metallotherapy and electrotherapy. Above all, these methods were used in the treatment of cholera. Maleszewski conducted researches on the use of galvanic current and metallotherapy not only in cholera treatment, but also in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. He implemented successful electroshock therapy in a 35-year-old catatonic patient in 1861.