HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRY IN GEORGIA: HIDDEN PAGES (DEDICATED TO OUR TEACHERS)

Psychiatry preserves a special place among the diverse medical specialties. It is noteworthy that in Europe and America the professional and scientific psychiatry gradually emerged during the second half in 1800s. Roots of psychiatry in Georgia go back to the distant past. However, the modern scientific psychiatry started developing in Georgia shortly after the foundation of the medical faculty at Tbilisi State University (1921) and is closely are associated with the name of Prof. M.Asatiani (1882-1938). This survey reflects data from all obtainable and basic psychiatric records of this period and provides brief description of significant achievements of psychiatrists, working in Georgia during 1920-1940 (M. Asatiani, A. Gotsiridze, N. Veshapeli, O. Chitava, Sh. Kipiani, G. Shengelaia, I. Menteshahvili, A. Zurabashvili, I. Bzhalava, E. Nakashidze, E. Gobronidze, V. Gudiashvili, Sh. Kvitsaridze, A. Amirgarov, N. Shubladze, I. Tavdishvili, Hovakim, Nikolava, Sulava, Shiukashvili, I. Egizarov). Finally, we would like to emphasize that Georgian psychiatrists widely presented quantitative and qualitative studies on methodology and on treatment of main mental disorders, described their views on psychology, characterology, pathophysiology, physiology, morphology, psychotherapy, classification and etc.