Marek Rutkowski

Publications of Marek Rutkowski

• [Health service in the Polish Kingdom after the November insurrection]

  Authors: Marek Rutkowski

  Archiwum historii i filozofii medycyny / Polskii Towarzystwo Historii Medycyny i Farmacji. 02/2004; 67(1):33-48.

  The foundation of the Main Medical Care Board acting within the frame of the Department of Internal Affaires was the most important legal solution regarding administration of the hospitals in theThe foundation of the Main Medical Care Board acting within the frame of the Department of Internal Affaires was the most important legal solution regarding administration of the hospitals in the Polish Kingdom after downfall of the November insurrection. In that time the hospitals - apart from their own funds and capitals - were receiving also "annual support from the Treasury" and other sums from so-called extraordinary sources. Also new hospitals were built (12 new hospitals were inaugurated in the Kingdom in the years 1832-1834) and the old ones were developed or modernized. The number of persons seeking assistance in hospitals and in so-called charity institutions for the poor, orphans and newborns was similar to the one before 29th November 1830. The highest mortality was in teh Warsaw Infant Jesus hospital (27 per 100 persons in case of adults and in case of infant mortality it was 60 per 100). It is interesting that the lowest mortality rate was in the Orthodox Jew hospitals. The Interim Medical Committee and the Medical Council had continued issuance of medical, surgical, pharmaceutical and other certificates and consents (but the number of documents issued was rather low).

• [Epidemic diseases in the Polish Kingdom in the thirties of the 19th century]

  Authors: Marek Rutkowski

  Archiwum historii i filozofii medycyny / Polskii Towarzystwo Historii Medycyny i Farmacji. 02/2004; 67(1):49-60.

  We can observe that after downfall of the November Insurrection the authorities of the Polish Kingdom were effectively engaged in the fight against numerous epidemic diseases plaguing the localWe can observe that after downfall of the November Insurrection the authorities of the Polish Kingdom were effectively engaged in the fight against numerous epidemic diseases plaguing the local society. Among "contagions" of the time there were varicella, "gastric-nervous fever", "gastric-rhinitis fever" and typhus (especially in 1836). As usual, cholera was the most dangerous one. All medical and epidemiological services in the Polish Kingdom were making effective remedial measures in order to neutralize results of the epidemics. The implemented methods were effective enough to limit considerably the incidence and number of deceased during the epidemic, which started in October 1836 and lasted till the next year. An obligation of effective cooperation between the Polish authorities and the Russian army was introduced then. The sanitary action against cholera in 1836-1837 should be very highly assessed from the logistic point of view. The wide action of protective vaccination against varicella and numerous sanitary rules completed the favorable image of the Polish Kingdom sanitary services. All the factors mentioned above lead to a conclusion that in the thirtieth of the 19th century both civil and military authorities of the Polish Kingdom did practically utmost in order to limit negative results of cyclical recurrences of epidemic diseases. It should be also stressed that the protective actions undertaken in that time were both direct and long lasting enterprises.