Biržų ir Dubingių kunigaikščių Radvilų medikai lokalinėje bendruomenėje : Kėdainių atvejis

ENThe article discusses a group of professional doctors of Biržai and Dubingiai branch of Radvilos, established in a province of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Kėdainiai possession of the Radvilos in the late 15th - 17th centuries. In previous historiography interest in this issue is only fragmented. Choice of Kėdainiai possession of the Radvilos is not accidental. In the period of ruling by the Radvilos, Kėdainiai was significant Middle- Lithuania centre of administration, religion, especially that of evangelical Reformed and Lutheran, and culture as well as trade and crafts. Kėdainiai had from 2,000 to 4,000 inhabitants. It has been established that in the period of governance by the Radvilos of Biržai (1641-1695) Kėdainiai had at least seven practicing doctors. These were: Jakub Fabricius, Adam Freitag, Jan May, Mathias Heldt, Johann Fischer, Johann Razen and Friedrich Kaneini. All of them were foreigners of German descent with university education, six of them were medical doctors. The aforementioned doctors of the Radvilos were evangelicals, mainly Lutherans. In spite of growing significance of Kėdainiai town and possession, the group of professional top level practicing doctors in Kėdainiai possession in the period of governance by the Radvilos was comparatively small. It is clear that the shortage of professional doctors was common in the entire Grand Duchy of Lithuania.Also, because of life in a provincial town the doctors could only partially be engaged in their professional activities, mostly caring for and consulting the Radvilos and their families. These top level professionals had direct or indirect mandate front the Radvilos to oversee the entire healthcare system of Kėdainiai town. This is testified by the town statutes prepared by J. May and the appoint ment of J. Razen as town chief doctor. A good part of time the doctors spent performing functions that had little to do with medicine: they taught in gymnasium, did secretary work for the Radvilos or worked for the evangelical church. [From the publication]