Science and business: problem of Ukrainian doctor’s choise in the life of the Late 19th – early 20th Centure (the example of Y. Y. Trutovskiy)

Abstract

Scientists were interested in the interrelation of material and spiritual in human life since olden times. So, the correlation of science and business in the era of the Russian Empire’s capitalistic development is of great theoretical value. From this point of view the destiny of Kharkiv doctor and local businessman Y. Y. Trutovskiy appears to be of great interest for a researcher.

The article aims to understand what the main interests of the person studied were, analyse his scientific philosophy and accomplishments in the sphere of science and business, outline the main direction of Y. Y. Trutovskiy’s activity. His work as a doctorpsychiatrist, scientist, administrator, and entrepreneur are researched. Special attention is paid to science as sphere where he was talented but did not realise himself. From the point of view of the author, reasons for it are topical even in a contemporary society. Material problems of scientists and people at social service are outlined, low competitiveness of it in the comparison with private business profits is stressed.

Biographical approach is the leading one in this work. It permits to consider the personality of the doctor in complex, and in the historical context. For reconstruction of events and details of Y. Y. Trutovskiy’s life the microhistorical approach has been used as well as the way of dealing with analyzing the history of everyday life, i.e. “history from below”. The work is also based on historical and medical regional studies.

The author comes to the conclusion that Y. Y. Trutovskiy got started as a talented and perspective scientist in the spheres of physiology and neurology but finally chose to be a representative of the layer of successful medical private practitioners, who finally left science and concentrated on his own business, the private mental hospital. In this case, the author touches the problem of values and life choice which is topical for Ukrainian scientists, especially the young ones.

The material of the study can be useful for professional historians and doctors, comprising specialists in the history of science, health and medical history, regional historians who are interested in the problems of the history of everyday life, microhistory, biography, etc., as well as in the upbringing work with students at medical universities.