SANITARY AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL CONDITION OF FRONTLINE CITIES OF VOLHYN PROVINCE IN 1914 – 1918
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24919/2519-058X.37.346045Abstract
The purpose of the article is to research the problem of the sanitary and epidemiological state of frontline cities and towns under wartime conditions. The research methodology is based on the principles of objectivity, historicism, problematic and systematic approach and includes historical and comparative, statistical methods, as well as the method of critical analysis. Scientific Novelty. A systematic analysis of the sanitary and epidemiological situation of the county towns of Volhyn province on the eve and during World War I has been carried out; the influence of military factors on the general sanitary and epidemiological situation of the western districts of Volhyn province has been elucidated; the functioning of the sanitary and epidemiological control system at the level of state authorities, local self-government, and temporary military administrations has been highlighted; new archival materials have been introduced into scientific circulation. Conclusions. The rapid development of socio-economic processes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to significant changes in the ensuring the vitality of towns. In the context of rapid population growth, modernization of the urban economy, and changes in urban lifestyles, there was an urgent need to establish an effective system of sanitary and epidemiological support and control. The effectiveness and dynamics of changes in this area were determined by both European trends and the peculiarities of traditions and technological and financial capabilities. The pace of adaptation of the system of sanitary and epidemiological control and provision of district towns in Volhyn significantly lagged behind not only the best European but also the all-Russian practice. The consequences of this lag were acutely evident during the war years, when Volhyn frontline towns began to receive a large number of refugees and military personnel, and the level of financing for the sphere of urban life support decreased.
The significant quality deterioration of social and everyday sphere of the frontline towns was also caused by the destruction of infrastructure facilities and residential buildings, excessive concentration of residents in surviving buildings, etc. The lack of water supply and sewage system, the use of river water by the townspeople for personal everyday use, the concentration of excessive amounts of household waste in the cities and towns became a catalyst for the spread of unsanitary conditions and epidemics. A significant deterioration of the sanitary and epidemiological situation had been observed since 1915 and reached its peak in the winter of 1917/1918, which led to the spread of epidemics, in particular, typhus in 1918.
Key words: sanitary and epidemiological situation, sanitation, epidemic diseases, medical infrastructure, frontline cities, World War I, Volhyn province.
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