Academy of Sciences of the USSR

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, founded in 1725 in St. Petersburg, at the initiative of Peter I, who, while establishing the Academy, consulted with Leibniz and other major scholars of the time. The Academy opened already after the death of Peter I (under Catherine I). The task of the Academy of Sciences was to spread enlightenment in the wild and illiterate Russia of the early 18th century. Along with the Academy, a university was created, which, according to Peter I's definition, was to be "a gathering of learned people who teach young people... the higher sciences." The Academy of Sciences, however, consisted of people who "strive to make new inventions and multiply them, and have no care for the education of others." At the beginning of its existence, the Academy of Sciences was led by German scientists invited from abroad. During its 200-year history, the Academy of Sciences has undergone many trials. The Academy of Sciences repeatedly experienced material difficulties, but despite all this, it consistently fulfilled its task of studying its country and sowing enlightenment in it. Numerous expeditions, organized mainly by the Academy of Sciences to the outskirts, brought back material of enormous value, and the colossal role of the Academy of Sciences in the study of Russia received proper recognition both within the country and abroad. The activities of the Academy of Sciences developed mainly in two directions: along the lines of physical-mathematical and humanitarian sciences. Numerous institutes of the physical-mathematical division, cabinets and commissions of the humanitarian division completed an extremely large amount of work in volume and significance. Soon after the October Revolution, the Academy of Sciences responded to the call of the Soviet government to cooperate with Soviet power and, despite the very difficult conditions for scientific work that existed in Leningrad in 1917-22, the Academy of Sciences greatly expanded the scope of its work. Thus, since 1917, 18 major institutions (institutes, bureaus and commissions) were recreated, and some academic institutions were transformed into institutions with broader tasks (Physiological Laboratory into Physiological Institute, Physics Laboratory into Physics-Mathematical Institute named after V. A. Steklov, etc.). In recent years, the Academy of Sciences has received a number of extensive buildings for housing the Pushkin House, Physiological Institute, Commission for the Study of Natural Productive Forces of the USSR, Zoological Museum, Central Library, etc. Along with the research work conducted within the Academy of Sciences and throughout the USSR (expeditions, out-of-town branches, stations, corresponding members), the Academy of Sciences carries out extensive cultural and educational work among its employees, subordinate institutions (House of the Red Army and Fleet and other military institutions) and the working population of Leningrad. In 1925, the Russian Academy of Sciences was transformed into the All-Union Academy (resolution of the Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of July 27, 1925) and received a new charter. At present, the Academy of Sciences is under the direct supervision of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR. On July 1, 1927, a new charter of the Academy of Sciences was approved by the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, significantly expanding the scope of the Academy of Sciences' activities in the direction of economic and social sciences. By the same decree, some changes were made to the management structure of the Academy of Sciences; for example, instead of one position of vice-president, two positions were introduced, etc. At its head are the President of the Academy of Sciences, two vice-presidents, and the permanent secretary, who together with the secretaries-academicians of both (physical-mathematical and humanitarian) divisions form the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences. The number of academicians is 45, but according to the charter, it can be increased to 70. The tasks of the Academy of Sciences include developing scientific disciplines within its jurisdiction, studying the natural productive forces of the country, promoting their utilization, and adapting theories and results of scientific experiments and observations to practical application in industry and cultural construction in the USSR. Of the institutions of the Academy of Sciences, of greatest interest to physicians are: 1) The Physiological Institute, directed by Academician I. P. Pavlov (see), who created the doctrine of conditioned reflexes (see), 2) The Special Zoological Laboratory (Academician N. V. Nasonov), 3) The Biological Station in Sevastopol. In the laboratory and at the station, research is conducted in experimental zoology (explantation and transplantation of tissues, regeneration of tissues, study of the influence of the environment on the organism, etc.), 4) Commission for the study of the tribal composition of the USSR (KIPS) and others.