Maxim Ivanovich IVANOV (November 4, 1895 – April 12, 1963) was a prominent Kazakhstani veterinary microbiologist and epizootologist, organizer of veterinary science in Kazakhstan, scientific director of the Kazakh Research Institute (1935-1938), Candidate of Veterinary Sciences (1936), senior researcher in the specialty “Epizootology” (1936), associate professor (1938), head Department of Epizootology of the Alma-Ata Veterinary Institute (1938-1958), Doctor of Veterinary Sciences (1939), Professor at the Department of Epizootology (1939), Honored Scientist of the Kazakh SSR (1945).

M.I. Ivanov was born in the village of Varypaevka, Atkarsky district, Saratov province in a peasant family.

After receiving his primary education at a two-grade railway school, he additionally graduated from the Saratov four-grade city School.

In 1911, M.I. Ivanov joined the notary office of the city of Saratov as a copyist, and from the age of 17 he became an office clerk for the Ryazan–Ural Railway. At the same time, he worked on improving his education and by 1915 he had passed the exam for the title of a two-grade teacher.

In 1915, M.I.Ivanov was drafted into the Tsarist army, then sent to study at the school of ensigns. After graduating from the ensign school, he was sent to the German Front with the rank of officer.

After being demobilized from the Russian army with the rank of staff captain, he returned to civilian service as a clerk for the Ryazan-Ural Railway.

In 1918, he was elected a member of the Main Military Board of the Ryazan-Ural Railway, after the reorganization of which he was enlisted as assistant chief of the Main Military Road Department of the Ryazan-Ural Railway and then appointed commander of a Separate railway battalion. In 1921, M.I.Ivanov was transferred to the assistant chief of the Volga militia, and in 1922 he was appointed commander of a battalion in the troops of special forces units.

In 1922, M.I.Ivanov entered the Saratov State Veterinary Institute, combining his studies with service in the Red Army, until his demobilization from it in 1923. During the same years, he simultaneously worked at the agricultural institute as a clerk.

In May 1926, M.I.Ivanov defended his thesis on the topic “Gastroenteritis catarralis et laryngitis catarralis acuta” and was awarded the qualification of a veterinarian.

After graduating from the institute and up to 1928, M.I.Ivanov worked as a veterinarian in the city of Saratov.

In August 1935, the Veterinary Department of Kaznarkomzem and KazSRVI sent M.I.Ivanov to East Kazakhstan to establish the work of one of KazSRVI’s branches, the Semipalatinsk Scientific Research Veterinary and Bacteriological Laboratory.

By virtue of the resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR dated January 13, 1934, concerning the rules for submitting titles and academic degrees, the West Siberian Regional Scientific Research Veterinary Institute (Omsk SRVI) highly appreciated the scientific work of M.I.Ivanov, for further submission to the appropriate institution and obtaining the desired degree.

On the basis of the RES notification No. 3206/25 dated October 13, 1935 and in accordance with Order No. 171 on KazSRVI dated November 1, 1935, M.I. Ivanov was provisionally awarded the degree of Candidate of Veterinary Sciences and the title of acting Full member of Scientific Research Institutions.

On July 29, 1936, at a meeting of the VASKHNIL Qualification Commission (Protocol No. 36), approved by the President of VASKHNIL on November 16, 1936, M.I. Ivanov, as the author of more than 18 scientific papers on the elimination of bovine peripneumonia, performed by him independently and in collaboration, was approved in the degree of candidate of veterinary sciences without defending a dissertation.

Since the appointment of M.I.Ivanov as the scientific director of KazSRVI, the performance of research at the Institute has improved qualitatively. The 13 scientific topics of the institute, scheduled for development, were mostly carried out at a high methodological level.

On April 1, 1938, M.I.Ivanov was appointed head of the Department of Epizootology of the Alma-Ata Veterinary Institute, at the same time he was given a scientific trip to defend his dissertation.

On October 22, 1938, at a meeting of the Scientific Council of the Kazan State Zootechnical and Veterinary Institute, M.I.Ivanov brilliantly defended his dissertation “Serological research methods for bovine peripneumonia” for the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Sciences. After the defense, this thesis was highly appreciated in the periodic veterinary literature.

M.I.Ivanov is the author of more than 70 scientific papers devoted to the problems of veterinary microbiology, immunology and epizootology. One of his early studies is the actual problem of the complete elimination of bovine peripneumonia in the USSR in the 30s. Somewhat later, he developed scientific approaches to the practical solution of the problem of combating brucellosis of farm animals in the future, including the use of saponin vaccine against sheep brucellosis

The results of M.I.Ivanov’s ten-year work on the application of the method of active immunization against brucellosis of farm animals were presented by the Alma-Ata ZVI for the award of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR “I.I.Mechnikov Gold Medal”.

The M.I.Ivanov’s School has carried out scientific research on other infectious diseases: encephalomyelitis and lymphangitis of horses, sheep paratyphoid, animal rabies, dog plague, bovine paratuberculosis, which are of great theoretical and practical importance. At the same time, M.I.Ivanov raised a whole galaxy of brilliant veterinary scientists, including doctors of sciences and professors who worked at KazSRVI for a long time.

A number of his scientific works have been used in manuals, textbooks and cited by many authors, including world-renowned scientists.

M.I.Ivanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and the medal “For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.”

Maxim Ivanovich is buried in the Central Cemetery of Almaty.

Published works:

Abderhalden’s reaction in peripneumonia of cattle// Bulletin of Modern Veterinary Science. – 1930. – № 19-20. – P. 455 – 460 (together with N.A.Sychev);

To the question of preparation of antigen for complement binding reaction in diagnostics of peripneumonia of cattle// Vestnik of modern veterinary medicine. – 1930. – № 23-24. – P. 557;

Experience of mass application of the complement binding reaction in the diagnosis of bovine peripneumonia // Herald of Modern Veterinary Medicine. – 1930. – № 23-24. – P. 557-558;

Veterinary science at the service of socialist animal husbandry in Kazakstan //Agricultural science in Kazakstan. – 1935. – № 5-6 – P. 61-67;

Contagious disease of sheep in Kastek district //Kolkhozny Kazakhstan. – Alma-Ata, 1937. – №8. – P. 79-81 (together with D. Karabayev);

On the use of saponin vaccine in brucellosis //Proceedings of the Kazakh National Research Veterinary Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1939. – Т.ΙΙΙ. – P. 32-37 (together with S.K.Kozhakin);

Application of saponin virus in peripneumonia of cattle // Proceedings of the Kazakh National Research Veterinary Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1939. – Т.ΙΙΙ. – P. 99-105 (together with K.S.Omarov);

Application of formol-vaccine against hemorrhagic septicemia of rabbits// Proceedings of the Kazakh National Research Veterinary Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1939. – Т.ΙΙΙ. – P. 250-252 (together with V.I.Zakharov);

To treatment of brucellosis of animals // Kolkhozes and state farms of Kazakhstan. – Alma-Ata, 1940. – № 3. – P. 54 -56 (together with Y.I.Kleinbok);

Causes of disease and death of calves and ways to eliminate them //Colkhozes and state farms of Kazakhstan. – Alma-Ata, 1940. – № 6. – P.25-28;

New about kebenek and prospects for further study of this disease //Veterinary. – 1947. – № 9. – P. 23-25;

Epizootology Department to the XXth anniversary of the Institute //Proceedings of the Alma-Ata Veterinary Zootechnical Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1949. – Т.VΙ. – P. 29-35;

Serologic and allergic methods in differential diagnostics of brucellosis and tularemia //Proceedings of Alma-Ata Veterinary Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1953. – Т.VΙΙ. – P. 106-109.

Literature about him:

Defense of dissertations in Kazan State Institute in 1938/39 academic year //Soviet Veterinary. – 1939. – № 10-11. – P.108;

Skornyakov Y.M. 30 years of scientific-pedagogical and public activity of the honored worker of science of the KazSSR, doctor, professor M.I.Ivanov //Proceedings of the Alma-Ata Zooveterinary Institute. – Alma-Ata, 1957. – VOL. X. – P. 583-585