HISTORY OF HEALTHCARE History of Medicine. 2016. Vol. 3. № 1. DOI: 10.17720/2409-5834.v3.1.2016.06z K.I. Legkov (1877–1958) – doctor, healthcare organizer and social activist Sergey D. Batoev The Scientifi c-Practical Center of Medical Care for Children with Developmental Disabilities of the Craniofacial Area and Congenital Diseases of the Nervous System 38 Aviatorov St., Moscow 119620, Russia Abstract. The article presents information about the life and work of K.I. Legkov (1877–1958) – one of the healthcare organizers on the territory of the modern Republic of Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory. The son of a priest, Legkov successfully graduated from the medical faculty of the University of Tartu and worked as an assistant at the university clinic. During the Russo-Japanese War, he volunteered for the front as a military doctor. In 1907, Legkov became assistant to the chief physician of the Verkhneudinsk Red Cross hospital. In addition to clinical work, he was actively engaged in teaching activities and showed great organizational skills, being elected mayor. From April 1917, he worked as a senior registrar at the Berezovsky military hospital, and was appointed head of the Baikal department of health after the formation of the Far Eastern Republic. In November 1921, he was appointed head of the Trans-Baikal military medical district. In June 1923, Legkov resigned. He became an easy target for political repression: in 1938, he was arrested by the Primorsky district NKVD on charges of espionage and was interned at a prison camp (1938–1954). In 1955, during his lifetime, he was rehabilitated. Keywords: K.I. Legkov, Russo-Japanese war, the Verkhneudinsk Red Cross hospital, Zabaikalsk Society of Physicians, the Far Eastern Republic, the history of medicine For quotation: Batoev S.D. K.I. Legkov (1877–1958) – doctor, healthcare organizer and social activist. History of Medicine. 2016. Vol. 3. № 1. P. 55–61. About the author Sergey D. Batoev – Candidate of Medical Sciences, Critical care physician, The Scientifi c-Practical Center of Medical Care for Children with Developmental Disabilities of the Craniofacial Area and Congenital Diseases of the Nervous System (Moscow). E-mail: [email protected] Konstantin Ivanovich Legkov was born graduates could enroll only in the Yuriev and on May 20, 1877 in the village of Vasilyevo, Tomsk Universities. The young man did not want Taurida Governorate (now Ukraineʼs Kherson to travel to distant Siberia, and in 1897 entered the region), into the family of an bishop. His father Medical Faculty of Yuriev University (now Tartu, was a teacher, a supporter of public education Estonia). He studied hard, and showed himself and organized primary (folk) schools for the to be a capable and promising student whose peasants. Infl uenced by his father, Konstantin successes were repeatedly noted by teachers. In entered a seminary, from which he graduated in 1902, K.I. Legkov received a doctorʼs graduation 1897. The young man also took an active role in certifi cate, and after practicing in a clinic (1903) – teaching activities at the folk school organized by a medical degree.2 Professor K.K. Degio off ered his father.1 him the post of assistant at the Yuriev University K.I. Legkov dreamed of becoming a doctor. Medical Clinic. At the request of the Director, However, in pre-revolutionary Russia, seminary K.I. Legkov conducted practical clinical training for students. 1 State Archive of the Republic of Buryatia (SARB). F. 10. The Russo-Japanese war began, and Op. 1. D. 2932. L. 2-2 ob. K.I. Legkov submitted a request to be sent to the Received: 20.05.15 © Sergey D. Batoev 2 SARB. F. 10. Op. 1. D. 2932. L. 2. 55 Sergey D. Batoev army. On November 23, 1904 he was called up the medical institution was headed by Dr. August for active duty, went to the front, and on Decem- Genrikhovich Leger.9 He wrote K.I. Legkov a let- ber 24, 1904, arrived in Harbin under the com- ter asking him to come to work in the hospital. mand of the fi eld inspector of the second Man- Professor K.K. Degio gave K.I. Legkov a good churian Army.3 Legkov participated in combat character reference and recommendation and he operations against Japanese forces (1904–1905). left for the city of Verkhneudinsk.10 By the Order11 During the battle of Mukden4 in the harshest of of the Trans-Baikal region (No. 820 dated March conditions he organized the evacuation of the 7, 1908) he was confi rmed as assistant chief phy- wounded and sick on the Fushunsk train line.5 sician of the Verkhneudinsk hospital of the Red In the beginning of March 1905, K.I. Legkov Cross in the civil service.12 On the same grounds was appointed commandant of the temporary with the infi rmary was the Verkhneudinsk Com- military hospital train No. 286 (such trains were munity of Sisters of Mercy (nurses)13: nurses were formed in the event of a lack of fi eld and logisti- assigned to the infi rmary and worked there. Since cal military hospital trains) travelling from Telin 1867, when Russia joined the Geneva Interna- station to Harbin. On March 13, he was trans- tional Red Cross organization, training of nurses ferred to the position of junior doctor of the main became one of the main activities of the RRC military hospital train (subordinate to the mili- (Russian Red Cross). In 1911, additional nursing tary district troop command). On May 29, 1905, courses were startead at the hospital in Verkhneu- he became the junior doctor of the Turkestan dinsk.14 A huge contribution to their creation and military hospital train. On November 19, 1905, operation was made by A.G. Leger, who invited the train was disbanded, and Legkov received a K.I. Legkov to Verkhneudinsk.15 new appointment – as junior doctor of the 18th From 1910, K.I. Legkov was in charge of Siberian military hospital train. On December the courses of the Sisters of Mercy and until 7, 1905, he was made senior physician of the 1917 actively engaged in teaching activities. On newly-formed Turkestan military hospital train, March 31, 1912, by order of the military governor which on March 4, 1906, was again disbanded. of the Trans-Baikal region, he was appointed On March 21, 1906, he returned to Yuriev.6 chief doctor of the hospital in Verkhneudinsk.16 In 1904, in connection with the outbreak of On April 1, 1912, he became senior physician of war with Japan in the city of Verkhneudinsk (now the Verkhneudinsk RRC Community of Sisters Ulan-Ude),7 the Verkhneudinsk hospital of the 9 Russian Red Cross Society was opened (RRC). SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. D. 1. L. 2. 10 On March 23, 1906, the infirmary was placed at the Its infi rmary was organized by her Imperial Maj- disposal of the Verkhneudinsky local Red Cross Committee esty Empress Alexandra Feodorovna “for com- (SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. D. 1. L. 14). On February 27, 1908, the bat fatigued and wounded soldiers”.8 From 1905 Verkhneudinsk local committee was renamed Verkhneudinsk local administration of the Red Cross (SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. 3 SARB. F. 10. Op. 1. D. 2932. L. 3. D. 3. L. 83–83 ob.), which in turn became part of the Trans- 4 Battle of Mukden – 19 February – 10 March 1905. Baikal local administration (SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. D. 1. 5 This branch extending 46 kilometers was laid by military L. 8.) and subordinated to the General Directorate of the railway workers of the Zaamursky railway brigade (October Russian Red Cross society. 1904); it passed through a coal mine up to Fushun station 11 The order established the position of senior staff resident and was intended for the transport of coal on the Chinese of the hospital and salary, according to the Table of Ranks. Eastern Railway. 12 SARB. F. 10. Op. 1. D. 2932. L. 6. 6 SARB. F. 10. Op. 1. D. 2932. L. 4–5. 13 The Holy Cross community of the Sisters of Mercy, 7 In 1776, special Udi Province was organized as part of founded during the Crimean War (1854) by N.I. Pirogov, Irkutsk province with its center (1775–1783) in Udinsk marked the beginning of training in Russia of this very (Verkhneudinsk, Ulan-Ude) [1, p. 12, 15]. In 1822, due to important element of qualified health workers to care for the reforms being conducted in Eastern Siberia, management sick and wounded [3, p. 141]. of the territory of Western Transbaikal was transformed into 14 SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. D. 6. L. 24. D. 7. L. 8–21. one Verkhneudinsk district, and up to 1851 Verkhneudinsk 15 At the beginning of the First World War, A.G. Leger, was the district city of Irkutsk province, the second largest together with the Sisters of Mercy, went to the front. (after Irkutsk) in Eastern Siberia. On October 22, 1851, the Unfortunately, his subsequent fate is unknown. Trans-Baikal region was formed. [2, p. 42]. 16 Note, however, that this order (No. 1979) was dated May 8 SARB. F. 101. Op. 1. D. 2. L. 103. 15, 1912. 56 History of Medicine. 2016. Vol. 3. № 1 of Mercy.17 In addition to medical and teaching Their Families). He was awarded the sign of the activities, Legkov took an active part in the social Red Cross “for his hard work for the benefi t of life of the city. In 1915, he “was appointed mayor the Red Cross Society for the local government of of Verkhneudinsk for four years” [4, p.