doctors’salaries

The article under scrutiny herein sets forth a discussion on the utilisation of prisoners of war belonging to Napoleon’s army medical personnel during the years 1812–1814, who were employed within the Russian military hospital infrastructure. In an effort to reduce costs and partially offset the additional burden on the treasury, which had the unexpected task of maintaining an entire army, the Russian government sought to utilise prisoners within the country’s economy. This initiative represented a continuation of a broader policy initiated during peacetime, aimed at attracting qualified foreign specialists to Russia. Approximately half of the medical personnel captured in officer rank were able to contribute to the functioning of military hospitals. This represented approximately 19 % of the Russian military’s medical personnel in officer grades. The necessity for medical personnel was exceedingly pressing. Doctors participated voluntarily, motivated by financial incentives. The primary regulatory document was the regulation prepared by J. V. Willie and approved by M. I. Kutuzov on December 24, 1812. However, in reality, the process of attracting captured doctors to work in hospitals was largely chaotic. The central authorities’ efforts were not the primary factor in the success of this process; rather, it was the result of other factors. The excessive centralisation and lack of coordination between military and civilian authorities, local and central management structures, and various departments of the Ministry of War created problems. The remuneration of the captured doctors was determined on an individual basis by the central office of the Ministry of War and persisted for a considerable duration. However, this was partially offset by the actions of local authorities, who were guided by other legislative norms of their choosing, which seemed more or less appropriate to the situation.