Intellectual biography of Bakhia Atchabarov: life and fate of the scientist

Abstract

The article analyzes the intellectual biography of one of the patriarchs of medical science in Kazakhstan, Bakhiya Atchabarov. The author noted the main stages and previously unknown stories from the intellectual life of the scientist. Particular attention was paid to the scientific expedition to study the harm from nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk test site under the leadership of B. Atchabarov, which took place from 1957to 1959 under the heading “top secret”. The results of the expedition caused serious concerns and anxiety in the entire military-industrial complex of the USSR, since the publicity of the results of the expedition could lead to unpredictable consequences. The clash of interests and the tough confrontation between the Institute of Regional Pathology represented by B. Atchabarov and the military-industrial complex of the USSR represented by the employees of the Institute of Biophysics in 1961 demonstrated the steadfastness and integrity of both B. Atchabarov himself and his colleagues from the Institute of Regional Pathology. Only K. Satpayev’s request to “stop” forced B. Atchabarov to stop the scientific polemic. However, as time has shown, K. Satpayev’s actions saved another figure of national science. The authors come to the conclusion that B. Atchabarov’s research subsequently played a major role in closing the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. His scientific research and discoveries in the field of professional pathology, brucellosis, radiology, allergology, and immunology gave impetus to new directions in medical science