The first steps of the Zemstvo sanitary inspector N. A. Semashko in fight with epidemics in the Novouzensk Uyezd of the Samara Guberniya

Abstract

The personality of N. A. Semashko presents incontestable interest as health care official and ideologist of the Soviet health care system who contributed significantly into development of health care. Great number of studies are devoted to analysis of activities of N. A. Semashko in the Soviet period holding position of the First People's Commissar of health care of the RSFSR, initiator and head of the chair of Social hygiene of the Medical Faculty of the First Moscow State University. The studies related to pre-revolutionary period of life of N. A. Semashko are presented in less degree. The article describes, on the basis of publications and archive sources (documents from the Central State Archive of the Samara Oblast, the foundations of the Russian State Library and also the family archive of E. G. Farobina, grand-daughter of N. A. Semashko) the period of life and and activity of N. A. Semashko in the Samara Gubernia after graduating the medical faculty of the Imperial Kazan University. In 1901-1902, after short training in bacteriological laboratory of the Samara Gubernia Zemstvo Hospital and appointment to the post of sanitary and epidemiological doctor of the Zemstvo, N. A. Semashko was directly involved in elimination of epidemics of diphtheria in Orlov Guy village and of anthrax in Alexandria village of the Novouzensky Uezd. The dangerous epidemics were eliminated owing to outstanding medical knowledge, courage and organizational skills of young doctor.