Aspecte privitoare la practica donaţiei în beneficiul spitalelor urbane din Moldova (secolele XVIII-XIX)
Aspects Concerning the Donation Practice in the Benefit of Urban Hospitals from Moldavia in the 18-19 Centuries

Summary/Abstract: Charity activities had an important role in the starting up and the maintaining the first modern hospitals from the Romanian principalities, the process being developed in the 18-19 centuries. The most donors were from boyar’s class and their charity initiatives were supported by the most important institutions of the times: the Reign and the Church. Besides these ones, there were also other classes who made donations such as: upper clergy, wealthy tradesmen and craftsmen, officers, physicians, lawyers, professors et alii. The nature and the amount of the donations were various: domains and other rural possessions, different urban possessions, money, mobile possessions, reign and boyars incomes and taxes, worship objects, medical instruments etc. The reasons and the circumstances which made donations possible were various. In most cases the piety was the main reason of the charity activities. There were also other reasons such as: civic spirit, urban community solidarity, patriotism, modern education and liberal thinking. The absence of direct heirs and the risk of misspending fortunes were other circumstances which emphasized the predilection for charity activities. Health problems, physical and psycho suffering, traumatic experiences from donor’s life, the direct contact with the ill people and with the hospitals influenced philanthropists to offer donations for the hospitals. The spirit o social competition, the vanity or some personal interests were other reasons for charity activities of those times. Not the last, the press had been an instrument of encouraging charity actions, including those concerning hospitals support. Therefore, besides the obvious religious aspect, the charity had also a social and symbolic character. The charity offer a social reputation, aspect that is suggested very clear by the donation paper and confirmed by the setting up of a large number of hospitals in a short period.

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