Gustav Orreus
Encyclopedia
Gustav Orreus was a doctor of Finnish-Swedish origin in Imperial Russian
service. An early epidemiologist
, Orreus distinguished himself during the Russian plague of 1770-1772
. He was the first Doctor of Medicine
ever to qualify in Russia.
(then part of Sweden), Orreus was trained at Åbo
and relocated to Russia in 1755. He continued medical training in Moscow and is believed to take part in the Seven Years' War
. August 2, 1768 Catherine II of Russia
issued the Doctor of Medicine
diploma in the name of Orreus, the first of its kind ever issued in Russia.
In the same 1768 Orreus became a surgeon of Pyotr Rumyantsev
's headquarters on the Moldavia
n theater of the 1768-1774 Russo-Turkish War. The southern provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia
were infested with plague. Orreus, in charge of disease prevention, persuaded the generals that the disease was indeed plague and not "malignant fever
"; he set up basic reconnaissance for plague outbreaks and imposed anti-plague controls that are credited with preventing widespread disease among the troops. However the plague infiltrated mainland Russia, causing the epidemy of 1770–1772
that peaked in Moscow in September and October 1771. Orreus was summoned to Moscow by Grigory Orlov, the statesman placed in charge of emergency anti-plague action. Orlov and Orreus arrived in the city September 26, 1771, at the peak of the outbreak. Orreus was assigned to manage quarantine
hospitals in Moscow. At first, he opposed Afanasy Shafonsky and denied the plague nature of Moscow epidemy, but despite bitter medical dispute the course of events persuaded Orreus to admit the facts. He summarized his experience during the plague in a 1784 treatise Descriptio pestis, quae anno 1770 in Jassia et 1771 in Moscua grassata est (A Description of Plague that Ravaged Iaşi
in 1770 and Moscow in 1771).
In 1776 Orreus retired from state service and settled in his estate near Saint Petersburg
. His experiments with agricultural novelties were publicized in the Proceeds of the Free Economic Society
. He also authored A Brief Essay on Fever, Diarrhea and Bloody Flux and other Diseases Prevalent among Soldiers, printed in Russian language in Saint Petersburg in 1808.
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
service. An early epidemiologist
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
, Orreus distinguished himself during the Russian plague of 1770-1772
Russian plague of 1770-1772
The Russian plague epidemic of 1770—1772, also known as the Plague of 1771, was the last massive outbreak of plague in central Russia, claiming between 52 and 100 thousand lives in Moscow alone...
. He was the first Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
ever to qualify in Russia.
Biography
Born in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
(then part of Sweden), Orreus was trained at Åbo
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
and relocated to Russia in 1755. He continued medical training in Moscow and is believed to take part in the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. August 2, 1768 Catherine II of Russia
Catherine II of Russia
Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
issued the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
diploma in the name of Orreus, the first of its kind ever issued in Russia.
In the same 1768 Orreus became a surgeon of Pyotr Rumyantsev
Pyotr Rumyantsev
Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was one of the foremost Russian generals of the 18th century. He governed Little Russia in the name of Empress Catherine the Great from the abolition of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764 until Catherine's death 32 years later...
's headquarters on the Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
n theater of the 1768-1774 Russo-Turkish War. The southern provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
were infested with plague. Orreus, in charge of disease prevention, persuaded the generals that the disease was indeed plague and not "malignant fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
"; he set up basic reconnaissance for plague outbreaks and imposed anti-plague controls that are credited with preventing widespread disease among the troops. However the plague infiltrated mainland Russia, causing the epidemy of 1770–1772
Russian plague of 1770-1772
The Russian plague epidemic of 1770—1772, also known as the Plague of 1771, was the last massive outbreak of plague in central Russia, claiming between 52 and 100 thousand lives in Moscow alone...
that peaked in Moscow in September and October 1771. Orreus was summoned to Moscow by Grigory Orlov, the statesman placed in charge of emergency anti-plague action. Orlov and Orreus arrived in the city September 26, 1771, at the peak of the outbreak. Orreus was assigned to manage quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
hospitals in Moscow. At first, he opposed Afanasy Shafonsky and denied the plague nature of Moscow epidemy, but despite bitter medical dispute the course of events persuaded Orreus to admit the facts. He summarized his experience during the plague in a 1784 treatise Descriptio pestis, quae anno 1770 in Jassia et 1771 in Moscua grassata est (A Description of Plague that Ravaged Iaşi
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
in 1770 and Moscow in 1771).
In 1776 Orreus retired from state service and settled in his estate near Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. His experiments with agricultural novelties were publicized in the Proceeds of the Free Economic Society
Free Economic Society
Free Economic Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture and Husbandry was Russia's first learned society which formally did not depend on the government and as such came to be regarded as a bulwark of Russian liberalism.-18th century:...
. He also authored A Brief Essay on Fever, Diarrhea and Bloody Flux and other Diseases Prevalent among Soldiers, printed in Russian language in Saint Petersburg in 1808.