The activity of the Vologda surgical hospital in the community of the sisters of mercy at the beginning of the 20th century

This article studies the activities of Vologda surgical infi rmary in the early 20th century. It raises the issue of the organisation of medical help in the town of Vologda, which remains topical even today. The analysis of historiography has revealed that this topic has not been suffi ciently studied. The article traces the formation and development of the surgical infi rmary paying special attention to the status of the institution that operated in conjunction with the Society of Medical Nurses in Vologda. Considerable attention is paid to the study of the role of nurses in the activities of the clinic. Close relationship of the Society of Nurses with the surgical infi rmary largely determined the special position of the hospital and the attitudes of the authorities of Vologda to it. The article examines separately the activities of the surgical infi rmary, which was transformed into a hospital, during World War I. The statistical data cited in the article clearly demonstrate the degree of the necessity of the institution in various years of its operation. Following the analysis of the quantity and quality of the treatment, the author of the paper draws the conclusion about the role of the infi rmary in the healthcare in Vologda. The article studies the activities of the clinic from its inception to 1915. The information obtained in the study is of interest to those who deal with history of Russia, history of medicine, charity