Museum of district medicine of V.M. Bekhterev

If you travel along one of the main avenues of the city – Neftyannikov Avenue, you cannot notice the museum of district medicine of V.M. Bekhterev and the monument to V.M. Bekhterev, which is near the road. This museum belongs to Elabuga State Museum-Reserve and it was opened on June 29, 2007. The museum is located in one of the buildings of the former zemstvo hospital, built in 1881 by merchant A. Baranov. The building is an architectural monument of local importance. Museum exposition tells us about the formation of zemstvo (district) medicine in Russia on the example of individual Elabuga district.

History of Elabuga medicine is being formed since the end of the XVIII century. In 1792, first medical board was opened. At that time a special system of support for poor people acted – Orders of public charity, which supported hospitals and houses for incurables. The first hospital in Elabuga was opened in 1827. It was placed "in a wooden one-story house belonging to town society. All premises consisted of two wards for the disabled and civil people and one for prisoners".

In 1863 the head of the town, merchant of the 1st guild N.I. Ushkov built a new hospital on personal funds, its courtyard had an outhouse for the doctor: "... Living in one yard, every doctor will visit his patients not once or twice a day, but five or ten times".

In 1867 zemstvo self-government appears in Elabuga district. Medical area became basic structural unit of district medicine. Originally, travelling system functioned. The doctor did more than 200 travels a year, sometimes spending the whole day for a travel. The duties of district doctor also included training of those who did smallpox vaccination, management of paramedics classes and supervision of their work, fight against epidemics, promotion of veterinary services.

Zemskaya medicine tried to obtain lower turnover of physicians, to improve their financial position. Salary of district doctor was 1300 rubles per year. Every two years a doctor had an addition to his salary in the amount equal to 200 rubles. In order to improve the knowledge of medical and paramedical staff, district council gave them the right to use scientific missions with benefit payment. As early as 1874 in Elabuga zemstvo the district medical council starts to function.

Sponsor activities of Elabuga merchants allowed to carry out renovation and repair of hospital buildings, to purchase medical supplies and tools, to use innovative methods of treatment, to hire additional staff of doctors. In 1890 hereditary honorary citizen of the town, S.F. Girbasov provided to Elabuga zemstvo a two-story house for a hospital for the mentally ill. Clinic was supported by the means of provincial zemstvo and accepted from three districts for treatment patients.