Politkovsky, Fedor Gerasimovich

The son of archpriest of the Chernigov regiment . Born in 1753 in the Chernihiv province . He received his primary education at the Chernigov seminary . In 1774 he moved to the gymnasium at Moscow University . In 1775, he was promoted to a student at Moscow University , and chose chemistry as his specialty (considered then as an integral part of medicine). In 1778 he graduated from the course of the medical faculty . In July 1779, by order of the curators I. I. Shuvalov and M. M. Kheraskov, he was sent to Leiden University together with his friend Feodosiy Kurika , whose medical faculty was especially famous then, where in 1781 he defended his dissertation for the degree of doctor of medicine “On pyogeny or education” pus ".From Leiden Politkovskaya went to Paris , considered then the focus of natural history, where in 1781-1782 studied in-depth study of natural history, physics and chemistry, visited natural science museums, clinics, attended lectures by famous x professors JB Lamarck and Lavoisier .

Politkovsky spent two years in Paris and returned to Moscow at the end of 1783 . On December 9 of the same year, he was tested by Ash and Gorgoli at a medical college and received the right to doctoral practice in Russia . Foreign scientists gave him very flattering reviews, which he presented to the university authorities. In the spring of 1784, Politkovsky and Kurik gave trial lectures and together occupied the Department of Natural History, which was freed after the death of Professor Sibirsky.

On April 3, in the Moskovskiye Vedomosti (No. 27) it was printed that: “ Sent a few years before this to foreign lands on the dependency of the Imperial Moscow University to achieve great success in medicine, chemistry and the history of natural university pets of medicine Dr. Theodosius Kurik and Fedor Politkovsky, upon their return to the university, is appointed to teach natural history, one for those who know Latin in Latin, and the other, for those who do not know this language, and for outsiders, in Russian. Of these pets, Fyodor Politkovsky 10 will speak Russian in an introductory speech or an introduction to natural history, in a large audience, in which, having shown the benefits of science, the teaching plan, at the end, will make experiments on different airs with an explanation of the benefits. "It will not fail to talk about combustible (that is, hydrogen gas) which gave occasion to the invention of balloons ."

The experiments with hydrogen were first performed at Politkovsky University of Moscow and served as the beginning of his teaching career. April 17, 1784 he received the title of extraordinary professor . In 1785, Kurika died, and Politkovsky became the full owner of the department of natural history, philosophy, botany and chemistry. Reading natural history, he was guided by the Linnaeus system. In the winter months he taught mineralogy, and in the summer - zoology and botany.

In 1788 he was promoted to full professor . For eight years, Politkovsky taught natural history, and in 1802 he was transferred to the department of practical medicine and chemistry, which was freed after the death of Professor S. G. Zybelin . At the same time, he remained the director of the University Museum of Natural History and in 1803 he gave public lectures, regarding which the following was announced in the Periodic Works on the Success of Public Education: “The professor of natural history Politkovsky will first go through the animal kingdom, and after that proceed to to other kingdoms of nature, offering and explaining objects worthy of note for their rarity, preciousness and usefulness. For these lectures, the venerable public will be open to the seven-member natural office, known throughout Europe and owned by Princess Yablonovskaya, and now from the Highest Bounties, the University has been mercifully bestowed. Teaching will begin on September 7th and will continue every week on the same days, except holidays . ” In solemn occasions, he made speeches about the origin and benefits of natural history and their connection with medical art. Politkovsky’s transfer to the department of practical medicine was quite natural at that time and served to the greatest benefit of the case.

Continuous studies in natural history developed in him a simple, rational view of pathology and a skeptical attitude towards the theories prevailing at that time. He did not follow any of the known systems, but chose from each what was reasonable in them. To his beloved students, Rysenka and Poletik, he wrote the following: “ I advise you to look at all systems with unbiased eyes, with which you should be guided. The steelyard of reasoning should be with you. Weigh on it all theories and clerical work of others. Suck honey and leave poison. However, pray to the Lord and work: He is a doctor and a soul and a body; It’s only a blessing and the doctor is happy and the sick recover . ”

His contemporary, I.F. Timkovsky , says that he applied his methods of treatment, against many major objections and published diatribes, to personal and local habits. "Another biographer says:" As a priest of truth, as a Professor, he had another high dignity: he never concealed his mistakes. To warn his inexperienced listeners, he willingly confessed to errors that were almost inevitable on such a difficult and slippery slope as practical medicine . ”Nevertheless, he was one of the most famous practitioners and enjoyed great love The majority of the population of Moscow, he was approached by a lot of poor people whom he treated for free. Timkovsky describes him with the following words: " He was tall, face oval and beautiful, brunette, lively, strong, speech fast, sweeping and playful , even at lectures and with patients ... He gave the audience a sample . ”

Politkovsky worked very hard and excessive stress upset his good health by nature; he developed persistent insomnia, a choking cough, and a general breakdown, and he died at the age of 56. He was buried in the village of Slavkovo near Moscow. His tombstone was discovered in the late 2000s ^[1] .

• Politkovsky, Fedor Gerasimovich // Russian Biographical Dictionary : in 25 volumes. - SPb. - M. , 1896-1918.
• Politkovsky, Fedor Gerasimovich // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
• Imperial Moscow University: 1755-1917: Encyclopedic Dictionary / Andreev A. Yu., Tsygankov D. A. .. - M .: Russian Political Encyclopedia (ROSSPEN), 2010. - P. 579. - 894 p. - 2,000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-8243-1429-8 .

• Politkovsky Fyodor Gerasimovich (neopr.) . Chronicle of Moscow University . Date of treatment April 9, 2017.