A Scrutiny of the Hygiene and Health Condition of Iranian Emigrant Workers in South Caucasus: Causes and Consequences (19th Century and Early 20th Century)
Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History,
Vol. 16 (1403),
7 May 2024
,
Page 1-20
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v16i.45590
Abstract
Background and Aim: The migration of Iranian labor to the South Caucasus experienced a growing trend during the last years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, with hundreds of thousands of Iranians travelling to these areas every year in search of work. Many of these immigrants were employed in factories, mines, oil industries, wharves and agricultural lands in Baku, Ganja, Tbilisi, Erevan and Batum. Some were engaged in peddling, construction, etc. and lived in the workplace or on the outskirts of cities. The aspects of health and safety in these two locations significantly influenced the lives of these workers.
Methods: This article employs an approach of "history from below" and relies on library and archival sources to investigate the conditions in which the Iranian immigrant workers lived in terms of their health status and the effects it had on their physical health.
Ethical Considerations: In this research, honesty and trustworthiness have been observed in the use of historical sources.
Results: The social life experienced by Iranian workers in the Caucasus was accompanied by a high rate of physical injuries and even deaths compared with workers of other nationalities. Consequently, some of them lost their lives and some suffered from diseases such as cholera, plague, malaria, shortness of breath, or physical disabilities.
Conclusion: Iranian emigrant workers in the Caucasus undertook the most difficult jobs due to lack of material capital, production tools, knowledge and skills as well as living in huts and sheds or workplaces. These two places were dangerous and inappropriate in terms of health and hygiene, leading to a high incidence of physical injuries and even fatalities among Iranian workers.
- Tsarist Russia
- Workers
- Health
- Casualties and Disease
- Immigrants
- Iran
- clinic birth, genealogy, medical perception, Michel Foucault, subject
- Caucasus
How to Cite
References
Abdi H. Historical Geography of Caucasus (1828-1917). Master's Thesis. Ardabili: Mohaghegh Ardabili University; 2022. p.37. [Fulltext in Persian]
Shamim AA. Iran during the Qajar dynasty. Tehran: Moddaber Publications; 1995. [Persian]
Abrahamian Y. Iran between two revolutions. Translated by Golmohammadi A, Fattahi ME. Tehran: Ney Publications; 1998. [Persian]
Wills CJ. Iran in a century ago; Dr.Wills' travel book. Translated by Gharagozlu GH. Tehran: Iqbal Publications; 1989. [Persian]
Wishard J. Twenty years in Iran. Translated by Pirnia A. Tehran: Khooshe Publishing House; 1984. [Persian]
Jaberi Ansari H. History of Isfahan and Ray and All the World. Isfahan: No Name; 1942. [Persian]
Ashraf A. Historical obstacles to the growth of capitalism in Iran: The Qajar era. Tehran: Zamineh Publications; 1980. [Persian]
Archives of the Department of Documents and History of Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Estadukh). 1910. Box 36. Folder 10. Document 62; Carton 12. Folder 85; 1904. Carton 7. Folder 2. 1910.
Port AI. History from below, history of daily life and wisdom history. Translated by Yahoseini SF. Oral History. 2018; 8(2): 40-58. [Persian]
Sharp J. History from the bottom. Translated by Farsani Torabi S. Report of History Biannual. 2019; 6(13): 1-27. [Persian]
Archive of National Library and Documents Organization of Iran (SAKMA). Row number 360010091. p.3; Row number 360010091. Document 3; 360010091. Document 3; Row number. 360010091. Document 212.
Beik A. Oil and Blood in the East. Translated by Jahanbani MH. No Place: No Name; 1950. [Persian]
Tabib MT. Teflis travelogue. Efforted by Haghdar AA. No Place: Literature Club; 2016. [Persian]
Curzon GN. Iran and Iran's Case. Translated by Vahid Mazandarani GH-A. 4th ed. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publications; 1994. Vol.1. [Persian]
Stopani AM. Oil industry worker and his budget. Tehran: Publishing House; 1924.
Belova NK. On seasonal work from northwestern Iran in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. Questions of History. 1956; 10: 15-42. [Persian]
Kruse EE. Working and living conditions of the working class of Russia in 1900-14. Leningrad: Publishing house Nauka; 1980. [Persian]
Pishevari J. History of edalat party: Quoted by Azhir newspaper. Tehran: Elm Publications; 1980. [Persian]
Masaji I. Travelogue of Iran: A Japanese traveler in Trans-Nahr, Iran and the Caucasus (1320 AH / 1902 AD). Translated by Rajabzadeh H. Tehran: Tahoori Publications; 2019. [Persian]
Guliyev AN. The Strike of Baku Workers in December 1904. Questions of History. 1954; 12: 26-38. [Persian]
Gholiof NA. History of Azerbaijan. Translated by Afshar AA. Tehran: Shora Publications Contemporary Publishing; 1980. [Persian]
Zl'ego L. Znlishnyya rvii rabochikh. Chernago: Bakinsk; 1905. p.17-21. [Persian]
Benjamin SC. Iran and the Iranians of the era of Naser al-Din Shah. Translated by Kordbacheh H. Tehran: Javidan Publishing Organization; 1984. [Persian]
Oil Boom Period in Azerbaijan (1880s-1918). Azerbaijan International. 1999; 7(1): 34-40.
Sagheb SH. Memories of Prince Arfa. Efforted By Dehbashi A. Tehran: Sokhan Publications; 1999. [Persian]
Chaman Newspaper. 1999; 2(46). [Persian]
Mullah Nasreddin Newspaper. 1906; 27. [Persian]
Soleymanov M. Baku, the city of oil and music. Translated by Sardarinia S. Tabriz: Akhtar Publications; 2007. [Persian]
Okinshevich AIK. On the issue of disability and vulnerability of workers in the Baku oil fields. Baku: Trud; 1912.
Stopani AM. Wages and working day of Baku oil industry workers in connection with working conditions in the fields. Baku: Trud. S.G. Berladira; 1910.
Habl al-Matin Newspaper. 1901; 8(28). [Persian]
Farmer Fi. September 1. Russia, to you 1877/ Fi 4 Ramazan mubarak, to you 1294/ Eighteenth number. [Persian]
Soraya Newspaper. 1899; 2(1). [Persian]
- Abstract Viewed: 227 times
- pdf (فارسی) Downloaded: 143 times