The thesis provides the theoretical generalization and resolves academic problem, which consists in the historical and legal characteristic of sanitary-epidemiological legislation applicable within Ukraine during the XXth century, identifying their nature, characteristics, significance, dynamics of the force and efficiency. The research singles out three historical periods: first, Russian Empire of the early twentieth centuries (1901-1917); second, the revival of Ukrainian statehood (1917-1921); third, the Soviet stage (1917-1991). In turn, the period of revival of Ukrainian state is separated into another three stages: first - during the Ukrainian Central Council (1917-1918) second - during the Hetman P. Skoropadsky (1918); third - the times Directorate of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (1918-1921). Soviet period, due to the peculiarities of state and law-making, is divided into four stages: the first - the early years of the Soviet regime (1917-1922), the second - after establishing the USSR (1922-1937); the third - 1937-1970; the fourth - 1970-1991. The novelty of the thesis consists in the systematization of sanitary-epidemiological legislation depending on the subject of regulation, namely, acts that: (1) establish a system of bodies for the control in the field of sanitation and epidemiology and determine their competence; (2) provide measures to combat epidemics, termination and liquidation of negative consequences; (3) establish sanitary rules and regulations, which aims at the prevention of epidemics. Within the latter group it was singled out specific subgroups of acts, depending on the sphere of sanitary rules and regulations. In addition, the research highlighted that the systematization of the sanitary-epidemiological legislation in the disignated period erased from the informal to the formal incorporation. The elements of novelty also includes the author's periodization of sanitary-epidemiological legislation in the Soviet period, which was indicated due to the distinctive features of state building and rulemaking of that time. In addition, it is proved that at all stages of the XXth century the formation of sanitary-epidemiological legislation occurred under the influence taking into account those sanitary and epidemiological circumstances that occurred that time, as well as scientific and technological progress. It is emphasized that the distinctive feature of sanitary-epidemiological legislation was the presence therein technicaly-legal norms. The practical significance of the thesis consists in the fact that its provisions and findings could be used in field of scientific research, the educational process, law-making activities, the activities of sanitary and sanitary-epidemiological services and their officials, etc.
