Saved lives and developed medicine: in Mogilev opened a memorial sign to the medical scientist Nikolai Mandelstam

At the Resurrection Cemetery in Mogilev, a memorial sign was opened to the outstanding medical scientist Nikolai Mandelstam, who lived and worked in the city in the XIX century, opened the first midwifery school, stood at the origins of the formation of the Mogilev health system, on whose account hundreds of saved lives. The memorial sign appeared thanks to the project “Name on the Stone”, which was implemented by the deputies of the Parliament together with the medical community of the region.

- Nikolai Martynovich, understanding how many women die during childbirth and after - from childbirth fever, opened a school in Mogilev for the preparation of midwives, which since 1875 became the central midwifery school for Mogilev, Vitebsk and Minsk provinces. It was the first specialized secondary educational institution in Belarus and the first in the Russian Empire, where women from the lower classes received education. Founded by Nikolai Martynovich and the central paramedic school, now it is Mogilev State Medical College. He contributed to the creation of a wide network of medical institutions of various types not only in cities, but also in rural settlements. With his efforts, 40 hospitals were established in Mogilev province. Obstetrician-gynecologist, medical scientist, he headed educational institutions, was a practitioner, reformer-educator and literally burned at work. Knowing that he was seriously ill, he did not leave the workplace until the last day.

Having seen in what condition the place of repose of the famous doctor is, what remains of the monument, the idea of reconstruction of the burial came. The basis was a photograph taken here in my student years, continues Galina Belyaeva. The restoration began this summer, we were joined by students and teachers of the Mogilev Medical College, representatives of medical institutions of the city, the regional organization of the NGO “Belaya Rus”, utilities, volunteers. Armed with cement, degreasing, paint, spatula, brushes.

For Galina Belyaeva, preserving the memory of people who made a huge contribution to history, preserving the architectural heritage is a personal matter. The author of the project “Name on the Stone” together with like-minded people for two years of painstaking work has already restored 32 forgotten ancient burials in the territory of Mogilev and Minsk regions.

Now she is working on the restoration of the Klenze chapel at the Assumption Cemetery in Mogilev. Bernard Klenze taught foreign languages, he is the author of a multi-volume “Course of the French Language”, more than 20 textbooks. According to Galina Belyaeva, not only the personality of this person is of interest, but also the chapel itself - from the point of view of architecture. There are only two such monuments of the early XX century in Mogilev.

kislyak@sb.by

Photo courtesy Galina Belyaeva.