The first detox center in Russia

The birthplace of the detox is Tula. It was here that the first sobering-up center in Russia was opened, or as it was called in the tsarist era, the "shelter for the intoxicated." This event happened on November 7, 1902. The initiator was the doctor F.S. Arkhangelsky. Later, other regions began to adopt the experience, so the number of such institutions began to grow and after a few years they were present in every provincial city. Let's tell you how the history of detox centers began and what were the rules in institutions at that time.

How did the first detox come about?

The fight against alcoholism began in tsarist Russia in the 17th century. Information about the prototypes of detoxification facilities is found under the reformer tsar Peter I. These were damp, cold basements where overly intoxicated patrons of drinking establishments could sleep until morning.

In the 1840s and 1850s, many people died from alcoholism, and the number of deaths increased annually. The problem worried the peasants so much that in 1850 they staged a riot in the Tula and Saratov provinces. The movement was directed against wine farmers who got people drunk. The riot was accompanied by a pogrom of beer establishments.

To calm the people, the authorities decided to create a "Guardianship of national sobriety." Within their framework, "People's Houses" were opened for drinkers with lecture halls and libraries. However, the main thing was not provided there — medical care, which is why the death rate from alcoholism continued to grow. At that time, Saratov put forward an initiative on a new concept of detoxification facilities: they offered to provide accommodation and care, and medical care for those in serious condition. The idea was quickly picked up in Tula, and it was here that the highest-level "shelter for the intoxicated" appeared.

What was the first detox center in Tula?

The drunk tank was located in the central part of the city. It was a house with two isolated compartments, one for men and the other for women. The establishment had a utility yard, rooms for a paramedic, a pharmacy, a kitchen, a laundry room, a doctor's office, and a toilet. Violent intoxicated people were placed in a special isolation unit. Drunks could stay in the shelter until they sobered up and improved their condition.

Hypnotic sessions aimed at getting rid of deadly addiction were conducted in a social institution. An atmosphere of tranquility was created here with the help of music therapy.

The first sobering-up center kept statistics. The staff of the institution recorded information about the patients: name, occupation. About 3,000 alcoholics were admitted to the shelter every year. Representatives of various professions have visited here: gunsmiths, teachers, babysitters, painters.

Thanks to the work of the drunk tank, by 1905 the number of deaths "from intoxication" had almost halved. The number of those who permanently quit the addiction has also decreased.

After the well-established work of the detoxification center in Tula, the initiator of its creation, F.S. Arkhangelsky, began to develop an anti-tuberculosis dispensary. He received patients and purchased necessary medicines at his own expense. His drunk tank operated for 15 years, from 1902 until the October Revolution in 1917. In Soviet times, many such establishments were opened, but they were abolished only in 2011.