Smidovich

Smidovich Anton Ludwigovich (1872-1916), known public health worker, sanitary physician. Graduated from the University of Kiev in 1898. In the first years after graduating from the university, he worked as a zemstvo district physician in the Odessa district (1899-1904), and then moved to sanitary work, first holding the position of sanitary physician in the Voronezh province (Boguchar district, 1904-1906), in the Kherson province (Alexandria district, 1906-1908) and finally taking charge of the sanitary bureau of the Yekaterinoslav provincial zemstvo (1908-1916). S. was a major active organizer of sanitary affairs in pre-war conditions of old Russia, broadly understanding all the tasks that faced the country in this field. He was a supporter of the so-called sanitary-technical direction in the development of sanitary affairs, striving to implement practical sanitary-technical measures and the corresponding scientific and experimental training of sanitary physicians. Widely educated, familiar with European practice and techniques, he sought to introduce these European hygiene skills and methods into Russian life. In his political orientation, S. adhered to the social-democratic trend. Working in the Yekaterinoslav province, S. succeeded in introducing a permanent sanitary organization, which had been closed shortly before by Black Hundred zemstvo members after the 1905 revolution; the number of sanitary physicians in the province was increased to 20, so-called physician-lecturers (on sanitary education) were introduced, a southern regional cholera congress was organized (its proceedings were published as a separate edition); in the 'Medical-Sanitary Chronicle of the Yekaterinoslav Province Zemstvo' edited by S., a number of interesting materials on sanitary issues were published during these years. S. authored a number of articles there. S. had great influence at all-Russian physicians' congresses. He died at work, having contracted typhus while inspecting barracks for prisoners of war in the Slavyan district.