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Article: Searching for a miracle: a Victorian-era English nurse seems an unlikely hero to be celebrated in a remote corner of Siberia. And yet, more than a century after her epic journey to the region, Kate Marsden is still fondly remembered for her altruism and compassion towards leprosy sufferers in the Republic of Sakha. Felicity Aston visited far-eastern Russia in the hope of tracking down the miracle herb at the heart of Marsden's story.(In memoriam)
- Article from:
- Geographical
- Article date:
- February 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Circle Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The Jeep slides to a halt on the icy road as the driver speaks in rapid Russian, pointing excitedly at a row of half-finished houses. Leaping out, he indicates some writing painted on the side of the nearest house and explains that it reads: '3 Kate Marsden Street:
'The people of Vilyuysk think that Kate Marsden did a great thing for the region,' he announces solemnly. 'It is similar to what Lenin did for the Soviet people. That is why they named the street after her.' While her name is unfamiliar to most people in the UK, in this remote outpost in the vast Sakha Republic of northeastern Siberia, Marsden is regarded as a hero.
Known as Yakutia to the ...