CHARITABLE SOCIETIES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPRESS MARIA'S INSTITUTIONS IN SIBERIA

Gorobets Mikhail Dmitrievich

The article offers a brief history of the Guardianship of Maria Alexandrovna for the blind, the Guardianship of the Empress Empress Maria Feodorovna for the Deaf and Dumb. Their transfer to the Department of the Institutions of Empress Maria is being considered. The article describes the main activities of the Guardianship in Siberia. The author of the article noted that the greatest influence on the development of assistance to the blind was exerted by "eye squads" — special squads consisting of a doctor and several assistants who traveled to hard-to-reach regions and provided preventive medical care. Attention is also paid to the departments of Guardianship, which provided various kinds of assistance free of charge, maintained hospital beds at their own expense and provided assistance with the issuance of medicines and the identification of those in need in medical institutions. Having considered the history of the creation of Guardianship and their activities in Siberia, it can be noted that in Siberia, assistance to the blind and deaf-mute was less developed than in the European part of Russia. Despite this, the activities of the state care system in the field of eye and hearing diseases were positive and important.

Keywords:charity, charity, the Institution of Empress Maria; charitable societies; charitable institutions and establishments; Guardianship of the blind, Guardianship of the deaf and dumb, Siberia