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[SOVIET FIGHT AGAINST AGING] Vozmozhna li bor'ba so starost'yu [i.e. The Fight Against Aging]

Zavadovsky, M.

Item #2538

Moscow: Gos. izd., 1924. 58 pp.: ill. 22,7x15 cm. In original publisher’s printed wrappers. Very good. Loss of the fragments of the spine, previous owner’s pencil inscription on the title page.

Scarce. First edition. 1 of 7,000 copies. Text in Russian.
One of the earliest Soviet books on combating aging, authored by Mikhail Zavadovsky (1891-1957), a Russian and Soviet biologist specializing in the reproductive biology of livestock.
In the 1920s, the USSR took a proactive interest in the biological and social aspects of aging, reflecting a broader goal of optimizing human health. The state actively supported research in endocrinology, gerontology, and experimental physiology, treating aging as a problem that could be scientifically addressed. Zavadovsky, trained under Eugen Steinach, emerged as a leading figure in this effort, investigating the role of endocrine glands in aging. His experiments included transplanting sex glands between animals to study their rejuvenating effects and exploring the broader network of internal secretory organs that regulate vitality.
The book was inspired by Steinach’s famous experiments on three elderly men, in which he performed partial testicular transplants or grafts, aiming to restore sexual vigor and overall vitality. These experiments prompted Zavadovsky to reflect on the possibilities of rejuvenation and the scientific battle against aging.
From the opening chapters, Zavadovsky condemns “the widespread illusion that aging had already been solved or was close to being solved.” He begins with an overview of morphogenesis and the general signs of aging, arguing that the process involves not only sex hormones but also those produced by other endocrine glands (ex.: thyroid). Emphasizing the formative role of the gonads, he describes his experiments transplanting female sex glands into castrated male chickens. He then reviews the studies of Steinach, Voronov, and Harms, while cautioning against overestimating their practical significance given the limitations of contemporary methods. Zavadovsky ultimately concludes that restoring an aged organism to a youthful state requires recreating in its tissues the conditions characteristic of youth, primarily by reestablishing a multi-glandular endocrine network.
The edition is supplemented with 29 black and white illustrations, documenting the results of experiments on transplanting sex and endocrine glands.
No copies found in Worldcat.

Price: $750.00

Status: On Hold