The problem of medical personnel shortage in the provinces of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century (based on materials of Vyatka and Kazan provinces)

The article examines the issue of shortage of health workers and determines their significance for society of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century. Problems that representatives of medical professions faced that resulted in shortage of medical personnel are outlined on the material of Vyatka and Kazan provinces. The study used statistical materials that include memorial books, calendars, region's review, the results of the First General Census of the Russian Empire in 1897. Materials of the National Archive of the Republic of Tatarstan (NA RT) and the State Archive of Kirov Oblast (GAKO) were also used. Newspapers and magazines Volzhskiy vestnik, Kazanskie gubernskie vedomosti and Severnyy vestnik were analyzed, as they published ads about medical services and job openings. In addition, the periodicals reveal the problems health workers faced in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. The second half of the 19th century saw transition from a traditional to an industrial society. At this point, there were specific problems that influenced the lack of medical personnel. Health care workers faced the following problems: distrust; lack of knowledge about personal hygiene; remoteness of the patient; inequality of the sexes. For a long time, conventional medicine was only available to higher classes. Therefore, ordinary people were treated with folk remedies. In the second half of the 19th century thanks to the great reforms of Emperor Alexander II medicine available to the common people of the provinces began to develop. But illiterate residents were wary and preferred traditional medicine. Ordinary people were afraid of the unknown concepts and medical equipment. Due to the lack of health workers, many patients were not able to get to the nearest doctor or paramedic. The doctor also could not always get to patients because of the large distances and observe recovery. Thus, the medical profession was very important for the inhabitants of the Russian Empire. By the end of the 19th century an attempt to get rid of people's addiction to traditional medicine failed, but people were taught to respect doctors and understand that official medicine was necessary to preserve life and health. Economic reforms only increased people's needs in healthcare. Of course, the medical profession did not remain constant, its activities changed, which expanded the specialization of medical workers: in addition to physicians dentists, doctors of women's and children's health and others appeared. Despite the fact that there were not enough doctors for full service of the population of the entire province of the Russian Empire, measures were taken to increase the number of persons who would be representatives of the popular professions in the field of medicine.

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