Abstract
Eighteenth-Century Medicine, Health, and the Memoirs of Prince Ivan M. Dolgorukov (1764–1823)
Medicine and health have always played a significant role in the history of humankind. However, the way of looking at them has changed over the centuries, leading to different understandings of diseases and treatments. Thus, medicine and health could be considered an integral part of our cultural memory and it is noteworthy to analyse their representation in the past. To do this, ego-documents are particularly interesting. Not only are they a rich source of information on previous medical beliefs, but they also show how an author is influenced by the cultural context to which he belongs.
The aim of the paper is the analysis of the representation of medicine and health in the autobiographical prose of Ivan M. Dolgorukov (1764–1823), who was a poet and prolific writer of ego-documents. This paper focuses on his autobiography Повесть о рождении, происхождении и всей жизни. In the latter, we find traces of the lively medical reality of eighteenth-century Russia. In fact, in the Russian Empire of the time, there were terrible events such as epidemics, a rapid process of modernisation of the health system, and the introduction of medical innovations coming from abroad. Furthermore, the number of books, articles, and translations about medicine considerably increased in the nascent Russian publishing market to popularize medical knowledge and to respond to the growing interest of readers in these issues.
Nevertheless, the autobiography of Ivan M. Dolgorukov is not a mere inventory of curious diseases and cures. The present analysis highlights some of the peculiarities of this text, such as its frequent contradictions, the narration"s alternating tone between ironic and philosophical, its relationship with fictional influences, etc. It demonstrates how the decision of the author to talk about health and medicine often corresponds to the “practical” purposes that he has set himself in writing the “story of his life”.
Dolgorukov intended to combine the usefulness with the pleasure of writing and remembering. He wanted to give his life lessons to posterity by telling his version of the remarkable events and facts that he witnessed. In particular, he did not hesitate to express his contradictory opinions on epidemics, diseases, and doctors. He also discussed new treatments such as animal magnetism and the smallpox vaccine.
At the same time, feeling persecuted by his enemies, Ivan M. Dolgorukov wants to leave the “true” image of himself. Health issues become one of his “means” of representing himself as a “good father and husband”. Indeed, influenced by Sentimentalism, he emphasizes the description of his emotions during the illnesses of his loved ones. As far as public life is concerned and as proof of being a loyal servant of the Emperor, the author stresses his efforts to fight the corrupt Russian bureaucratic system even in the medical field. Finally, he mentions his melancholia and hypochondria which, in the eighteenth century, were both considered diseases. These disorders were amongst the most common motivations for contemporary writers to compose their literary works. Therefore, the author’s attention to them can be explained by his willingness to justify his passion for writing.
– Rebecca Gigli, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”
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