Reflection of issues of military hygiene in the Russian military medical school from the 19th century to the 1930s

Abstract

The article describes key phases in the introduction of military hygiene in the curriculum for Russian military doctors. Almost up to the beginning of the 20th century, sanitary losses of the Russian army from infectious diseases considerably surpassed losses from wounds sustained from firearms and cold steel weapons. This suggests the need for military doctors to be familiar with the basics of military hygiene. Authors of the article examine the characteristics of the establishment of the teaching of military hygiene in Russia, first in hospital schools and then at the Saint Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy (renamed the Imperial Military Medical Academy in 1881) and subsequently the Military Medical Academy of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. It is demonstrated that special issues pertaining to military hygiene were introduced in the training programme for military doctors first. For example, a section "On health care for Russian soldiers" first appeared in the curriculum of the department of medical jurisprudence and medical police, including hygiene, at the Saint Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy in 1845. The programme dealt with various aspects of military hygiene. It included issues relating to hygiene in the army during the stay of military personnel in barracks and field camps. A separate course on military hygiene was introduced in 1882 at the instigation of A.P. Dobroslavin, who can be regarded the architect of the first programme on this discipline. In that programme, matters directly linked to military hygiene were split into a separate course for the first time. The first department of military hygiene in the Soviet Union was established in 1936 at the Military Medical Academy. That department was headed by military doctor, Professor V.A. Vinogradov-Volzhinsky. Thus, such a discipline as military hygiene became an integral part of the education of future military doctors.

Experience of medical schools functioning in the USSR during World War II

“…In pre-war time, about 700 universities operated in the Soviet Union (683 universities as for 1938) [6], among them in 1941, 72 medical universities were in operation (115 thousand medical students) [7], 63 of them were civil medical universities (105 thousand students) [7].…”

“…When the war began, 70 thousand medical doctors from civil medical care entities were called for to front [7]: about one half of all personnel; 19 medical universities were closed (Voroshilov Medical University, Stalingrad Medical University, and others [6]). On the forefront line, the shortage of doctors amounted to 40% [8].…”

“…Before 1939 the military medical doctors and senior medical personnel were trained only in Kirov Military Medical Academy in Leningrad, then the Kuibyshev Military Medical Academy of the Red Army was established [7], and in 1941 -Moscow Medical University of War Time.…”

“…In [14]. Tartar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic accepted in evacuation People's Commissariats of the USSR and RSFSR as well as 42 medical universities [7]. Medical doctors were trained by Kazan state medical university.…”

“…During 1941-1945 the integrated and centralized rearrangement of medical personnel training for army, navy, and civil health care proved to be successful and could solve the formulated problems. Civil universities educated more than 65 thousand medical doctors for acting army, 80 thousand medical doctors were recalled [7], staff shortage was eliminated.…”