In the midst of ferocious epidemic of smallpox, 12 (23) October 1768, the Empress Catherine II of Russia’s first made himself and then the heir to the throne, 14-year-old Paul vaccinated against a terrible disease. Took a huge risk. Won. And became subjects for example not only, as we would say, “a responsible attitude to health”. But much more important things that the current leaders of different caliber it would be good to take a sample.
Outbreak of 1768 was in Russia not the first. Disease for centuries have walked across continents in circles and waves. Died from smallpox, up to 40% of those infected, especially young children (in Russia every seventh child). If you haven’t seen photos of sick, then don’t – they’re terrible. Smallpox claimed up to a million victims in Europe, in Russia more. Not bypassed the high nobles in 1730, from it died the last descendant of Peter I in the male line, 14-year-old Peter II.
Catherine II pox not sick, but I was afraid. Pox shortly before the wedding, moved her suitor, Tsar Peter Fedorovich – to the end of life he looked in the mirror at his disfigured face. Catherine openly admitted in a letter to the Prussian king Friedrich II:
“Since childhood, I was accustomed to the horror of smallpox, at the age of more Mature cost me a lot of effort to reduce it… in the Spring of last year (1768 – Ed.) when this disease was raging here, I ran from house to house… not wanting to endanger neither son nor themselves. I was so amazed by gnusnostyu such provisions that are considered slabosti not get out of it. I was advised to vaccinate the son of smallpox. I replied that it would be a shame not to start with yourself and how to enter a vaccination, not submitting example? I began to study the subject… to Stay all his life in real danger with thousands of people or to prefer lower risk, very short, and to save many people? I thought that by electing the latter, I have chosen is the right one…”
In these lines – the essence of the character of the Empress. Yes, the disease does not choose victims. But the choice a person has is to accept or stand up “out of the trench to attack.” Catherine was a beauty – tall, with a straight back, thick brown hair and a beautiful complexion. In 1768 she was only 39 years old. No death, no ugly scars in her plans is not included. The loss of her son and friends – especially.
But most importantly Catherine was a monarch is not an ordinary and enlightened. And, indeed, she could, as she put it, “to study the subject”.
Her letter to Frederick II – the desire to persuade a categorical opponent of smallpox vaccination. The task is difficult. In those years only in England, the doctors risked doing smallpox vaccinations. The British adopted a method in 1718 the Turks, tried – without any sympathy – for the criminals-the death row and the inmates of orphanages. And when��you’re managed, vaccinated, even the family of the king of Britain of George I.
the Method of vaccination was then one – variolate when a healthy person through cuts on the hand stretched threads or cloth moistened with the contents of smallpox vesicles (pustules) of the patient. The infection got into the blood of the person infected. Mortality after variosly was 2%, that is 20 times less than usual. But the risk remained, and after the deaths of several notables vaccination began to be afraid. In France and completely banned in 1862 a special act of Parliament.
Feared and vaccination in Russia. As written, the historian S. M. Soloviev, “the doctors cried out against the insane novelty, screaming against her preachers from the pulpits of the Church… Catherine decided by his own example to destroy the fluctuation of the Russian public”.
the Cowardly Empress was never, and prudently all their lives. The choice of medical advisers went seriously. The most skillful in the vaccination case at the time was considered the Englishman Thomas Dimsdale (Thomas Dimsdale).
him of murdering the Empress.
a few months before that, most of the expert-prospecting work was carried out by Russian diplomats and spies. Including a former resident of Russian intelligence in Stockholm, tutor of Tsarevich Paul, count Nikita Panin and the Russian envoy in London Alexey Musin-Pushkin. The mission was completed quickly and sensitively, and in the summer of 1768 Dimsdale together with his son arrived in St. Petersburg. By the time the alarm at court was almost down to the level of “panic”: in late may, on the eve of her wedding, from smallpox died young Countess Sheremetyeva, the groom which was the mentor of the young Tsarevich Paul.
the Ring of the infection shrank.
How were vaccinated the higher the patient and course of her illness, Dimsdale tells in his memoirs a detailed language the patient card. The fourth edition of his work “the Present method of inoculation of smallpox…” was published in St. Petersburg in 1870, the Russian translation of “Lieutenant Luke Sichkareva” and is now in the collections of the State historical Museum.
to Practice for the “compulsory volunteers” failed: one got seriously sick, the second didn’t react… Catherine resolutely stop the agonizing wait, and chose to risk it. Hence the material for it was taken from a sick 6-year-old cadet Sasha Markova. The child’s mother was terrified, the father was persuaded and encouraged her. Night sleeping wrapped in the blanket Sasha was brought to the king’s Palace, secret passage held in chambers Catherine and “hand on hand” had infected the lymph.
then the Empress went to Tsarskoe Selo.
Five or six days she felt good and was leading a normal life – receptions, dinners, meetings… what then prayed the court and visitors, are easy to understand – the news of infitsirovanie�� Queens mystery did not stay long. On the fifth day, Catherine felt sick and immediately retired. The subsequent history of her illness meticulously recorded Dimsdale: fever, chills, burning throat, swollen submandibular gland, the appearance of the first pock marks that burst, darken, disappear. Rinse currant juice. Glauber’s salt from constant headaches. Alarm. The lack of appetite. Light food. Drink plenty of liquids. Warm again…
And finally – the long-awaited recovery, which solemnly announced to the people on 29 October 1768.
From smallpox were vaccinated and the heir to the throne (the donor was a younger son of a Royal Apothecary biscornu). The disease he moved easily. Recovered and the boy Alexander Markov, together with the entire family he was later granted the title of nobility, a coat of arms, respectable salaries and a new name – Smallpox.
heart relieved all participants of history, but most of all, perhaps, Dimsdale. For him by the Empress all these days he kept the coach – so that in the event of the death of the patient to escape from the country from the mob. Catherine manners of his courtiers well knew. A doctor she gave for the Czar: the title of Baron, 500-pound annual pension (a huge amount), the title of Leib-medic and the rank of state Councilor.
the Synod and the Senate had sent to the Empress greeting, write a high calm, she modestly thanked. November 21, 1768, it was announced in Russia the day of celebration in honor of the “generous, unprecedented and famous feat” Catherine. In the theater hastily staged the ballet “Defeated predrassvetniy” for the common people printed hundreds of cheap popular prints – propaganda was at full power. The method of variosly went to mass and applied broadly…
Mandatory vaccination against smallpox made the Soviet government in 1919. Many born in the USSR on hand two round scar – the trace of the vaccination in the hospital. Finally eradicate smallpox on earth could only in 1980
Dr. Dimsdale continued its practice in England, but returned to Russia after 13 years – to instill now grandchildren of the Empress.
Her successor, Emperor Paul I was murdered in the Mikhailovsky castle on the night of 12 March 1801. Vaccination against Palace conspiracies, alas, not invented.
agile and clever Sasha Smallpox as a teenager was adopted and caressed at the court. Graduated from the page corps, but with the career and service did not happen. Preserved his letters to Catherine with tearful requests about money and complaints about life. Died without issue in 1800.
the name of the Empress Catherine II continues to be accompanied by the title of “Great.”
