Jurek Lister
BMJ 2004; 328 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7451.1322-d (Published 27 May 2004) Cite this as: BMJ 2004;328:1322Data supplement
Jurek Lister
Former consultant psychiatrist West Glamorgan Health Authority, Swansea (b 1919; q Cardiff 1951; FRCPsych), d 2 April 2004.
Jerzy Lissowski was born in Poznan, in western Poland, where his father was a wine importer. The ninth of 10 children, he had decided on a medical career early in his life. His undergraduate medical studies at Warsaw University were interrupted by the second world war, when he was interned by the Russian authorities. During his detention in the Ukraine and Siberia, he underwent the most arduous experiences. On being finally released, he had lost half his body weight, but had already decided to join the Polish army. In his fascinating book Poles Apart, which was published in 1997, he described the long and perilous journey that brought him to Britain. This involved travelling incessantly over vast distances under the most appalling and gruesome conditions. In addition, he was forced to find some means of earning enough to keep himself during that period. Among other things, he was forced to act as a vet on a collective farm, without having had any previous experience in that field.
After joining up with the Polish forces, he was parachuted into Greece, where he was to liaise with the partisans. He was later awarded the King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom.
Having got to Italy, he was able to restart his medical studies at Bologna University. He was demobilised in Britain, only to learn that the Polish School of Medicine at Edinburgh had been closed. Seemingly undaunted, for a period, he was able to attend the Paderewski Hospital, which was considered to be a medical school. He now had no alternative but to take several examinations in subjects that he had not studied for some time, in order to satisfy the requirements of the General Medical Council. He was eventually accepted as a student at the Welsh National School of Medicine, Cardiff. From having lived in several different countries, he had become a gifted linguist. On one occasion, on a professorial ward round, to the despair of the medical staff, four patients who each were only able to speak their native language, namely Greek, Italian, Polish, and Russian, had been admitted. To the great surprise and relief of his seniors, he was able to serve as a translator in the case of all four.
Before specialising in psychological medicine, he held various posts at the Swansea General, Morriston Hospitals, and Neath General Hospitals, where he met his wife, Barbara, who worked there as a radiographer. In 1955 he took up psychiatry, became a consultant at Cefn Coed Hospital, Swansea, in 1963, and was made a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. As a past-chairman of the West Glamorgan Division of Psychiatry, the Welsh Psychiatric Society, and the West Glamorgan Division of the BMA, Dr Lister’s contribution to the work of the NHS locally was considerable.
He retired from his NHS post in 1984, but continued with his clinical work for many years afterwards. He will be sadly missed by a wide circle of friends. A devoted family man, who was renowned for his kindness to others, he is survived by his widow, Barbara, and their three children. [Tom Davies]
See more
- Introductory AddressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 1-4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.1
- Report of the Meeting of the Eastern Branch of the Provincial Association at Bury St. Edmond'sProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 10-13; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.10
- Mr. Warburton's Bill for the Regulation of the Medical ProfessionProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 13-15; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.13
- An Atlas of Plates, illustrative of the Principles and Practice of Obstetric Medicine and Surgery, with descriptive LetterpressProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4
- A Practical Treatise on the Diseases peculiar to Women, illustrated by Cases, &cProv Med Surg J October 03, 1840, s1-1 (1) 4-5; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s1-1.1.4-a