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ON HYGIENE - DR. DIMITAR NACHEV

We intend to make a small presentation on the life and work of Dr. Dimitar Nachev. A more lengthy exposition is out from the scope of our agenda, right for the moment. We shall start with a short description of the region Bessarabia - nowadays, a westernmost part of Ukraine.

The bulgarian population in Bessarabia has been dislocated in the southern part of this region, known from historical sources under the name "Onglum" (o h g l o z ). In a time, when Khan Nogai's tatars came to the region /a. 1560/, it changed the name to "Budjack" - which, comes from the turkish translation of the name. Both, proto-bulgarian and turkish names are derived from the meaning "angle, corner". See the geographical situation of the region on Map 1. It is limited: west - by the river Prut; south - by the delta of the river Danube; southeast - by Black Sea until the river Dnestur; northwest - by the upper Trayan's wall, which is in Moldova.

The bulgarians in Bessarabia are supposed to be refugees from the European part of the Turkish Empire - which, took part from the second part of the XVIII century /a. 1752/. They do not consider themselves true bulgarians, although, they have retained their bulgarian names. After the successes of the Russo-Turkish Wars, on 29 December 1819 the region was given an autonomy from the russian emperor Alexander I. This was certified with an "Emperor's Edict", called: 'Statutele colonilor bulgare din Bessarabia' or 'Edict for the bulgarian colonies in Bessarabia'.

From 1857 to 1878, Bessarabia was a Romanian domain - truly, from the resolutions from the end of Crimea War on 4 March 1856. But the Bessarabians had their own Governor, in the face of Prince Nikolai Bogoridi, and their own nobility. They regard this period the most prosperous in their existence. 

However, the Berlin Treaty from 1878 gave back the territories to the russians, which, had to withdrawn their forces from the occupied northern part of Dobrudja. The later was given to the Romanians, against the protests of the Bulgarians. The bessarabians from that period, showed a negative attitude towards the russification of the region. Some of them chose to emigrate back to the places of their ancestors - in Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia.

A new impetus was given after the October Socialist Revolution in 1917. The region was joined in the new Federation as a part of Southern Moldova. And after World War II, it became an autonomous region in the boundaries of Ukraine - a statute which has been retained until now.

Map 1: Autonomous region Bessarabia, Ukraine

We made this historical excursion to add some flavor to the biography of Dr. Nachev. He was born at the town of Bolgrad /or Bolhrad, see on the map/ - in the year 1850. His family were settlers from Bulgaria, probably making their living in the trade with "abbyy" /i.e., a coarse woolen cloth/. Dimitar had his primary and secondary studies at his native town gymnasium "St. Cyril and Metodius". In 1865, he won a stipendium from the local authorities and went to study medicine in Paris. Later he moved to study in Berlin and in Wurzburg, where he graduated in 1873. No more information is available on this period of his life, except, that he participated as volunteer in the French-Prussian War /1870-1871/. The conflict was imminent after the process for Unification of Germany and the politics of "iron and blood" by chancellor Otto von Bismarck /1815-1898/.

Dr. Dimitar Nachev's coming back to Bolgrad is uneventful. He is appointed a lecturer on Natural History and Hygiene, at the Central Bulgarian School - Bolgrad. Let us say few words about this first educational institution for Bulgarians in the Revival Period. The school was accredited on 10 June 1858, under the auspices of Prince Nikolai Bogoridi. Saying the later in front of the bulgarian colonists:

"The idea for such educational establishment has existed for some time earlier. But, the former Russian government and the waging wars in the region hampered out initiative. Now, when the obstacles have been overdone, it is time to realize our intentions. Together with our brothers from the Izmail's region we intend to work hard for the prosperity of our native language. At the same time classes will be ruled out in the vernacular /i.e., Moldavian/... We have appointed, for the support of the academic activities, reimbursements from our colonial lands, namely: 1. from fishing in the lakes of the territories; 2. from taxes on the fords in the region; 3. from rents at the inn's in the region, etc..."

The curriculum was regulated under the Ministry of Education, at the Romanian Government, and signed by Prince Alexander Yoan I. At the end of the period under survey, curriculum was signed by His Royal Majesty King Carol I of Romania. From 1878 on, when the territories were given back to the Russian Empire, school authorities were under the inspectorates of the emperor's court. After 1917 and the Socialist Revolution - in fact, Bolgrad Central School ceased its existence. The building was ceded to a Romanian Lyceum and it stayed there until now.

The city of Bolgrad attracted a pleiad of bulgarian scholars in the vicinities of the Central School. It will be impossible within the limits of our exposition to pay tribute on all of them. This may be a theme for another presentation. Suffice to say that Dr. Dimitar Nachev started a job on a solid background and a good academic surrounding. He practiced his teaching obligations until the year 1878. After reformation of the school authorities, Dr. Nachev was appointed medical director in the city hospital, Bolgrad. This period of his life, unfortunately, is poorly exploited in the literature. Perhaps, his archives still exist in some private library or are withheld by his successors. We return to our work on Dr. Nachev's contribution as first lecturer on a hygienic curriculum.

His first and only remaining book, as far as we know, is: "Nachev, D. On hygiene or lectures for the Bolgrad Central School. Bolgrad, Central School Printers, 1875". 

In the introduction, Dimitar Nachev relays his motives for writing the book. It is remarked, unreservedly, that it has been on a facultative agenda and existed to cover a gap in the curriculum. Following, he gives a definition on hygiene: "Hygiene is a science for the prevention of health." From this definition, he extrapolates on the functions of the human body in a state of health, namely: "Health is a mode of functioning for the human body, when, all activities for the support of a living condition are regularly executed."

Next, outlined in some seven chapters, come the body of the text:

Chapter One: Here some basic information is given on the climate and its influence on health. D. Nachev gives information on the seasonal variations of a number of diseases, in a row: typhus, smallpox, rheumatism. Special attention is paid on malaria. He says that it is caused by "miasma" evaporation, and, that the clinics of the disease is influenced by quinine.

Chapter Two: Given is a debate on the role of the building construction as an exponent of school hygiene. He argues on the place, where, a school should be situated; what, should be its heating system; whether, it should contain a sewage system, etc.

Chapter three: Material is given on nutrition. How is food prepared, what should be a regimen for good nutrition, which are the different types of food, etc.

Chapter Four: Water is a separate topic, its quality and origin. He makes a note on alcohol consumption and its influence on the nervous system.

Chapter Five: Given is information on the hygiene of sensory organs.

Chapter Six: Here Dr. Nachev comments on some functions of the brain. The question of mental activity is compared as a reciprocal to physical activity. He supports the view that both are on a chemical basis of regulation, but, different substances are participating in the processes. He points out the importance of sleep on the conditions of the living body.

Chapter Seven: Debates the role of sport on the health of the organism. He describes some types of sport activity, namely: swimming, riding, fencing, etc.

In a time, the book received good response from the bulgarian community. Christo Botev, poet and revolutionary, commented in his newspaper: "We had the pleasure to read the lectures of our young co-patriot, but, we regret that the scope was too limited for such an interesting discipline. Whatever, Dr. Nachev has presented many popular truths, which are so important for the good education of the bulgarian... the later knows, how to work, but, lacks the secrets of living."

Moreover, Dr. Dimitar Nachev received acknowledgement from the new Bulgarian State. He was associate /1874/ and full member /1902/ of the Bulgarian Literary Society. He died in Bolgrad in 1903.