Kapustin

Kapustin Mikhail Yakovich (1847-1920), a prominent hygienist and public health figure. After graduating from the Medico-Surgical Academy (1870), he initially worked as a zemsky district physician, and then as a military doctor. From 1878, he devoted himself to the study of hygiene, conducting his first experimental work in Dobroslavin's laboratory («Determination of carbon dioxide in air by means of an alcoholic solution of caustic soda and titration with water», dissertation, St. Petersburg, 1879). For several years, K. then worked as a sanitary physician (Voronezh, Kursk) and from 1884 completely transitioned to academic activities. In 1884-87, K. was a professor of hygiene at Warsaw University, and from 1887 to 1910 - a professor at Kazan University. K. was one of the first Russian hygienists who, in addition to purely scientific works, widely addressed and developed issues of public sanitation and medicine. He wrote a number of articles and brochures on various topics in this field in provincial and capital medical publications. Among his works are: «Fundamental Questions of Zemsky Medicine» (St. Petersburg, 1889); «On the Tasks of Hygiene in Crop Failure Disasters» (Journal of the Kazan Society of Physicians, Kazan, 1892); «Essays on Zemsky Medicine» (St. Petersburg, 1899); articles on combating specific infections, on disinfection, on sanitary statistics, etc. At the Pirogov congresses, K. was usually an active participant with reports on socio-medical topics and was part of the leadership group of the congresses. He was one of the first to raise issues of rural sanitation. Among his scientific works, K. conducted research on certain food products, air, housing, etc. K. was popular among wide circles of students as a good teacher. In his later years, K. turned to political activity. Elected to the Third State Duma as a deputy from Kazan Province, he joined the faction of the right grouping («Octoberists») and largely lost his popularity and fame.