原小说作者MikhailBulgakov介绍----苏联的鲁迅

（本文原作者为牛津JohnRadcliffeHospital的妇产科医生ChrisBird）In1916MikhailBulgakov,24yearsoldandfreshfrommedicalschoolinKiev,waspostedtoasnowboundruralclinicinnorthwesternRussia,“thirty-twomilesfromthenearestelectriclight,”tofillagapleftbydoctorsservingontheeasternfront.Inhissemi-fictionalisedaccount,ACountryDoctorsNotebook,theyoungmedicspendsthejourneytotheremotehospitalonruttedtracks,worryingabouthowhewillcopewithtracheotomiesandobstructedlabour(hehasseenonlytwonormaldeliveriesatmedicalschool),frettingoverhisyouthfulappearance,andurginghimselftowalk,notrun.1916年，24岁的基辅医学院应届毕业生MikhailBulgakov被派遣到西北部一个常年被雪封住，而22里外才有电灯的乡村诊所，来填补都去了东部前线的医生们的空缺。他的半虚构自传《ACountryDoctorsNotebook》（http://book.douban.com/subject/4253913/）即描述了一个刚刚经过长途跋涉来到偏远医院的年轻医师。主人公纠结于如何实施气管切开术和难产手术（而此前他也仅仅目睹过两次顺产），亦纠结于自己青涩的外表和走路姿势。Hedoesnthavetowaitlongbeforeacartrumblesintothehospitalyardcarryingayoungwomanwithalegsmashedinaflaxbrake,herpulsebarelypalpable.“‘Die.Diequickly,Isaidtomyself.‘Die.OtherwisewhatamItodowithyou?”However,hehorrifieshimselfbyorderingthe“feldsher,”theRussianequivalentofaphysiciansassistant,topreparethetheatreforanamputation.Hisownadrenalineaspotentasthecamphorinjectionsgiventorevivethepatient,hesavesherbyremovingtheleg.Laterheispresentedwithafetuswithatransverselieandhastoexaminethewomaninfrontofthehospitalsveteranmidwife:“ThefactwasthatoncetheexperiencedAnnaNikolaevnahadtoldmewhatwaswrong,thisexaminationwasquitepointless.”Themidwifebreaksprotocol,advisinga“podalicversion.”Thedoctorgravelyconcurs,announcesthathesoffforacigarette,andrunstolookup“podalicversion”inhistextbookofoperativeobstetrics.Astheyscrubin,AnnaNikolaevnarecountshowhispredecessorperformedtheprocedure.“Ilistenedavidlytoher,tryingnottomissasingleword.ThosetenminutestoldmemorethaneverythingIhadreadonobstetricsformyqualifyingexams,inwhichIhadactuallypassedtheobstetricspaper‘withdistinction.”Suchaninternship,includinganattackbywolveswhileonhiswaytoahomevisitinthemiddleofablizzard,isnolongerthenormforhouseofficers(althoughitremainssoformanydoctorsinthedevelopingworld).ButBulgakovsstrugglewiththedarkRussianwinterswirlingoutsidehiswindowsymbolisesthelackofexperience,loneliness,andtheworryofbreakingtheHippocraticoaththatgnawsatthesleepofjuniordoctorseverywhere.（以上情节皆与短剧如出一辙）Shatteredbymorphineaddiction,typhus,andhisforcedconscriptionduringthebrutalRussiancivilwar,Bulgakovabandonedmedicinetowrite,includingthenovelTheMasterandMargarita.TheattentionsoftheSovietcensors,Stalinssecretpolice,andrenaldiseasepushedBulgakovintoanearlygrave(hisbrotherNikolaiescapedRussiatobecomearespectedcardiologistinParis).Hehadhisdoubtsaboutthemedicalprofession—“Iwontcalldoctorsmurderers,thatwouldbetooharsh,butIwillcallthemcasualuntalentedhacks”—butmedicinewasforhimalightinthedarkdaysofSovietrepression.“Eachpersonoughttobeadoctor,”Bulgakovwrote,“inthesenseofdisarmingalltheinvisibleenemiesthreateninglife.”在吗啡上瘾、梅毒、和在这场野蛮的内战的强制征兵的高压下，Bulgakov决定弃医从文，并写下了小说《大师与玛格丽特》（http://book.douban.com/subject/1077492/）。苏维埃的审核制度、斯大林的秘密警察与肾病迫使Gulgakov英年早逝。而值得一提的是，他的哥哥Nikolai逃离到了巴黎成为了一名心脏病医生。Gulgakov对从医有着这样的质疑：「我不会称医生是杀人犯，但是我认为他们是漫不经心的二流人士」。可医学对他来说，仍是苏维埃强权压迫下黑暗日子里的一丝光明：「每个人都应该成为一个医生，去与那些在威胁生命的看不见的敌人们斗争。」