ACTIVITIES OF THE TULA PROVINCIAL ZEMSTVO IN CARING FOR ORPHANS IN THE LATE 19TH – EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

The article examines the activities for the care of orphans carried out by the Tula provin-cial zemstvo in the late 19th – early 20th centuries. The objective of the present study is to demonstrate that the zemstvo's response to this significant social issue was both contradictory and piecemeal prior to the dawn of the 20th century. It was only upon the transition to a new stage in the development of zemstvo healthcare (namely, the stage of high-quality reform of infrastructure and improvement of medical care) that the zemstvo system of care for orphans underwent a radical change. The main source base for the research is the documentation of the zemstvo: reports and records of the zemstvo board, journals of assemblies and the reporting documentation of the orphanage depart-ment at the Tula provincial zemstvo hospital. It contains statistical data and general organizational information. The works of medical congresses of the early 20th century play a major role in the study of the formation and development of zemstvo charity. Within the framework of a socio-historical ap-proach, the analysis of a set of historical sources enabled the tracing of the evolution of zemstvo activi-ties for the care of orphans, as well as the research of the organization and functioning of the orphan-age department. For the first time, the present study has analyzed the shortcomings of the activities of the provincial zemstvo, which led to high rates of child mortality among orphans – from 72 % up to 89%. The article also considers a set of measures developed by specialist doctors and zemstvo offi-cials. The implementation of this measures taken to positive changes in the work of the institution for orphaned children. The emergence of a patronage system played a key role as part of the changes. The author has reviewed its development and effectiveness for the survival of foundling infants, in particu-lar concluding that it significantly reduced the mortality rate of adopted orphans.