Grodno Medical Academy

Driven by the need for social, cultural and economic transformations in the Commonwealth of the second half of the 18th century , the Grodno headman Anthony Tizengauz , with the support of King Stanislav Augustus Ponyatovsky , founded the Grodno Medical Academy in Grodno ^[2] .

The director of the academy was a specially invited French scientist J.E. Zhiliber ^[2] . The agreement of May 9, 1776 , concluded with him, provided, in addition to teaching and research activities at the academy, assistance in improving health services, which was almost unknown to XVIII century Europe, where medical higher education institutions were mainly engaged in training personnel ^{[1 ]} .

The very first admission to the academy revealed difficulties in staffing students: the local gentry was not interested in receiving a medical education. Thus, A. Tizengauz received the basis for recruiting peasant children and employees from his estates for study. Such a set would be an unusual solution for that time. As a result, 15 pupils were really selected (according to the testimony of J. E. Zhiliber, with great difficulty) from the children of peasants and employees. They were assigned the official content ^[1]. Only two of the students accepted into the academy students did not know much of the Latin language necessary for doctors.

Thanks to the director Zhiliber (who also taught at the academy), the classes were not exclusively theoretical. In addition to lectures, students attended patients, getting the opportunity to practice ^[1] . The level of knowledge of the teaching staff was quite high. In particular, I. I. Virion, a former professor of anatomy at the University of Strasbourg, taught at the academy. Less than a year later, thanks to the efforts of the student superintendent and part-time teacher of languages ​​- Menard, initially almost illiterate students, could understand complex lectures.

Over the period of its existence (1775-1781), several dozens of specialists were trained, who were sent to work in the state estates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ^[1] .

In 1781, in connection with the resignation of A. Tizengauz from all positions, the Academy was transferred to Vilnius and transformed into the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Vilnius . Zh. E. Zhiliber continued his work at the reformed academy, but in 1783 he returned to France , where he published works created during his stay in Grodno and Vilna ^[3] .

The Academy building was built in the XVIII century, by Italian architect Giuseppe de Sacco , in the late Baroque style in Grodno, not far from the palace and theater of Tizengauz. There is a project for organizing a museum of the history of medicine in the building.

It bears the name "Palace of the Chetvertinsky" ^[4] .

• Astraўcova, I. Remember Zhyliber for 13 thousand rubles // Information Exchange. - 1999. - March 18. - S. 4.
• Brezsky, V. Medical Academy in Grodno: [XVIII century] // Grodn. true. - 1981. - June 6. - S. 4.
• Gaiko, L. French scientist and Belarus // Grodn. true. - 1989. - March 18. - S. 4.
• Gostev, A.P. Zhiliber, Jean Emmanuel: [about him] / A.P. Gostev, V.V. Shved // Kronon: annals of the city on the Neman (1116-1990). - Grodno, 1993 .-- S. 160.
• Grodzensky ўrachebnaya academy // Entsiklapedyy prerody Belarusі. - Minsk: Bel. Encekl., 1986.- T.2. - S. 129.

• to the anniversary of the academy
• History of the Grodno Medical Academy