Karl Fedorovich Fuchs - a doctor that everyone knew

April 26, 1846 the streets of Kazan were filled with crowds of people. A mourning procession slowly moved towards the Arsky cemetery. Behind the hearse went the ranks of the city and province, professors and university students, many ordinary people, among whom there were many Tatars. Thousands of people watched the procession from the roofs of houses, from windows and from balconies. Kazan escorted to the last journey a wonderful doctor, Honored Professor of the University Karl Fedorovich Fuchs (1776-1846), a man whom every adult resident of the city knew.

40 years have passed since Fuchs was appointed professor of natural history and botany at Kazan University.

The interesting lectures of the young professor immediately captivated the students. “In the Kazan literary collection” for 1878 we read: “… He is the first professor who was especially beloved and especially attracted students; the first one — showing students on a living example of his own personality — what a scientist has enchanting power, devoted to his work until old age …; what a living a connection is possible between such a scientist and students."

After 14 years of teaching science, Fuchs was appointed professor of medicine. He received special appreciation as a doctor. From early morning, his reception was filled with patients, sometimes coming from afar. He did not distinguish between patients, whether he was a nobleman or a man, meeting everyone warmly and addressing only “you”. Tatars and even Tatars preferred Fuchs to other doctors. He took energetic measures to deal with emerging epidemics, for example, with cholera spread in 1830 in the Volga region. In 1820, through the efforts of K.F. Fuchs, a manual on practical medicine and hygiene was printed in the Tatar language.

K.F. Fuchs was very interested in the history of the region, one of the first to write an essay on the history of Kazan. He was fond of collecting coins, archaeological antiquities and other ancient monuments. Part of his collection, along with others, formed the basis of the numismatic office of the university, which, along with oriental manuscripts, was transferred to St. Petersburg University in the fifties.

Fuchs was very sympathetic to the Tatar people. He was interested in his history, life and way of life, was annually present at Sabantuy. His book “Kazan Tatars in Statistical and Ethnographic Relations, ” a thorough historical and ethnographic study in which the scientist with sincere warmth and deep knowledge described the history, life, customs and customs of the Tatar people, his difficult fate, became widely known. This book is interesting for the modern reader.

Figures of the Tatar culture of that time, university teachers A. Daminov, A. Mir-Mumminov, N. M. Ibragimov and members of his family, S. Kuklyashev, M. Makhmudov often visited the Fuchs house.

The Tatar population of Kazan treated Professor K.F. Fuchs with great respect and sincere love.