[On Soviet therapeutic elite: Miron Semenovich Vovsi, the head therapist of the Red Army - portrait without retouch].

ABSTRACT

The article is devoted to the biography and scientific contribution of Miron Semyonovich Vovsi, the eminent Soviet internist, organizer of army internal medicine. For the first time, the materials of his personal records from the Yuriev (Tartu) University and verified date of his birth are publicly introduced. Miron Semyonovich (Meer Simonovic) Vovsi was born on May 12 (24) 1897, in the township of Kreslavka (actually Kraslava, Latvia). In 1915, he entered the medical faculty of Yuriev (actually Tartu) University. In 1918 he was transferred to the Moscow University. He, after serving as military doctor, studied and worked under the guidance of D. D. Pletnev, I. M. Wiechert and V. F. Zelenin. In 1934, he moved to the Botkin hospital and after defending his doctoral thesis, became the head of the Department of internal medicine in the Central institute of advanced medical training, where he worked for more than 30 years. During the Second World War, he was the chief internist of the Red Army. He was engaged in the organization and improvement of army internal medicine. In 1952, during the so-called "physicians case", he was arrested and tortured for 5 months. After his release, he returned to teaching, medical and scientific activities. He died in 1960. His major areas of scientific contribution to medicine are nephrology, cardiology and army internal medicine.