The state policy of the Russian Empire in the fight against the syphilis epidemic among foreign communities in the northeastern districts of Eastern Siberia in the 19th century

Abstract

The article considers the chronology of historical events, highlighting the formation of the state policy of the Russian Empire in the fight against the spread of syphilis among foreign communities in the northeastern districts of Eastern Siberia. Archival materials are systematized, according to which the personnel, material and technical, financial support of organizational, treatment and preventive measures to combat the syphilis epidemic is assessed. The study of the materials allows to draw a reasoned conclusion that the government of the Russian Empire pursued a systematic, persistent policy of fighting to eradicate syphilis among foreign communities. In order to study and evaluate the state policy of the Russian Empire to eradicate syphilis among the foreign communities of the northeastern districts of Eastern Siberia in the 19th century, we used the historical method, which is based on the study of archival materials from the State Archives of the Irkutsk Region, indicating the organization of the fight against the epidemic syphilis among foreign communities of the northeastern districts of Eastern Siberia in the 19th century. Concern for the preservation of the population in the north-eastern districts of Eastern Siberia, newly annexed to the Russian Empire, according to the archival materials of the State Archive of the Irkutsk Region, has become an urgent task for both the government as a whole and the Governor-General of Eastern Siberia, the heads of the Yakutsk Region, Primorsky Region and Kamchatka. The state policy of the Russian Empire in the fight against the syphilis epidemic was focused on resolving issues of staffing the northern districts with medical ranks, providing them with social benefits in order to retain them for work in Eastern Siberia, identifying sources of funding and organizing the construction of syphilitic hospitals, resolving issues of ensuring the supply of medicines, pharmacy supplies, hospital supplies, clothing, food for sick people.