PROFESSORS I.V. TROITSKY AND V.E. CHERNOV - WHO REALLY FOUNDED THE KYIV SCHOOL OF PEDIATRICS…

In 1889, the prominent Kyiv obstetrician-gynecologist Professor B.E. Rein initiated the establishment of Ukraine’s first Department of Pediatrics at the University of St. Volodymyr in Kyiv. The department’s leadership was entrusted to Chernov Vasyl Yegorovych, a medical official and private-docent from Moscow. A pertinent question arises: why was the position not filled through a competitive selection process, particularly considering another candidate—Ivan Vissarionovych Troitsky, a distinguished Ukrainian pediatrician and private-docent at the same university. This was the same Troitsky I.V. who was esteemed throughout Kyiv and adored by his students; who was known for his charity work and established orphanages; who founded and chaired the Kyiv Society of Pediatricians (1900); who was fluent in 14 languages; and who initiated and organized the first European Congress of Pediatricians in Paris in 1912. Materials and Methods. This study employs archival materials and existing publications, utilizing analytical and comparative methods to examine the 1889 selection process for the head of the Department of Pediatrics at St. Volodymyr's University. The analysis focuses on the objectivity and fairness of the process regarding the candidacy of Ivan Vissarionovych Troitsky, an eminent Ukrainian pediatrician, and explores the reasons underlying the administrative, non-competitive appointment of Chernov V.Ye., a medical official from Russia. Results. This article outlines the scientific and educational accomplishments of the Ukrainian pediatrician and scholar Troitsky I.V., which included a substantial number of scientific publications, several published textbooks at the time of the competition, proficiency in 14 foreign languages, internships abroad, extensive teaching and pediatric practice, and active public advocacy for children's welfare. These achievements undoubtedly surpassed the qualifications of the medical official Chernov V.Ye. at the time of his appointment to the Department of Pediatrics. In fact, Troitsky I.V. organized and implemented all preparatory work for the establishment of the future department and children's clinic in Kyiv, which he aspired to lead. However, this outcome was precluded by the nature of professorial appointments in the Russian Empire, which constituted political decisions. Thus, when examining the question of who truly founded the national school of pediatrics, unequivocal priority should be accorded to Ivan Vissarionovych Troitsky, a graduate of St. Volodymyr's University in Kyiv and a distinguished Ukrainian pediatrician professor. His contributions and enduring legacy are held in the highest esteem by contemporary generations of Ukrainian pediatricians. Conclusion. Professor Ivan Vissarionovych Troitsky, an outstanding Ukrainian pediatrician and founder of domestic pediatrics, was the principal organizer behind the establishment of Ukraine's first Department of Pediatrics at the University of St. Volodymyr in Kyiv in 1889. The non-competitive appointment of Vasyl Yegorovych Chernov—a Moscow-based medical official and Doctor of Medicine—as extraordinary professor of this department by the tsar should be interpreted within the context of the russification policy imposed on Kyiv University, which was regarded by imperial authorities as “unreliable” due to persistent student protests led by Polish and Ukrainian youth.