The paper describes the life and professional work of I.V. Bertenson, MD, the first medical inspector of the Sankt-Peterburg guberniya (region), distinguished forensic medical examiner, surgeon, hygienist, historian of medicine and organizer of health services in this country. The versatile activities of I.V. Bertenson are exemplified by his work as the editor of the journal "Arkhiv sudebnoy meditsiny and obshchestvennoy gigieny (Archive of Forensic Medicine and Public Hygiene)", and the chairman of the 5th Pirogov Congress. The materials for the paper were borrowed from the Sankt-Peterburg Central State Archive and pre-revolutionary press publications.