The science of eye diseases in Saint Petersburg in the XVIII century

Abstract

A brief overview of the state of Russian medicine of the XVII century is presented firstly. The main attention is paid to the treatment of eye diseases during the XVIII century and the influence of famous foreign doctors and scientists on the origin and formation of Russian ophthalmology and its scientific basis. Special attention is paid to the role of the outstanding Dutch doctor and world-famous scientist G. Burhaave, who was called the teacher of the whole Europe, in the development of medicine and identification of ophthalmology as an independent section of medicine and as a special discipline. This contributed to the further development of ophthalmology not only in Europe but also in Russia. The important role of the Vienna ophthalmology school and its representatives, including G.Y. Beer, Y. Bart, J.Ya. Morenheim and others, is stated in relation to the formation of the Russian scientific school of ophthalmology, which was the successor of Vienna best traditions. Great attention is paid to scientific papers and textbooks on ophthalmology published in the XVIII century in Russian. We also studied the student book by G. Burhaave Public lectures on eye diseases that was the main textbook of the XVIII century for medical students throughout Europe and was published in Russia in 1798. We also analyzed the little-known in Russia handwritten document from the funds of the Russian State Historical Archive an essay by the Austrian doctor of medicine and surgery Professor J. Ya. Plenka Doctrina de morbisoculorum (Doctrine of Eye Diseases) translated into Russian by the doctor of medicine A. Maslovsky (1798). A. Maslovsky dedicated the translation of this recognized in Europe scientific work to the Chief Director of the Medical College Baron A. I. Vasiliev. On September 23, 1818, according to the Highest Order of Emperor Alexander the I the first department of optics in Russia was established at the Saint Petersburg branch of the Medical and Surgical Academy with the approval of doctor of medicine and surgery I. E. Grubi in the position of full professor.