The contribution of various scientists to development of intestinal obstruction doctrine from its origins to the present time is analyzed. The little-known facts of history and treatment are noted. In 2023, it will be 185 years since publication of the first fundamental Russian-language report on intestinal obstruction. The author of this monograph, published in 1838, was Vikenty Dobrovolsky. The book was called “On the disease called ileus” (1838). Like most researchers of that time, he considered ileus as a disease of intestinal canal in which everything contained not only in stomach and small intestines, but sometimes in large intestines is ejected through the mouth or vomiting with feces appears under persistent constipation”. V.P. Dobrovolsky knew almost all forms of acute intestinal obstruction. He considered the following causes of ileus: 1) intestinal inflammation, 2) effect of spicy, irritating and toxic substances, 3) ileus spasmodicus nervosus, 4) mechanical effects including strangulation, intussusception, organic narrowing of intestines, obturation and helminthic obstruction. Researches of national surgeons of the 19^th century had a significant impact on the problem of intestinal obstruction. They contributed to introduction of modern progressive methods of surgical treatment of acute intestinal obstruction in the Soviet Union. We note that the problem of acute ileus is still one of the most important in emergency surgery. Modern views on diagnosis and treatment of this terrible syndrome are also presented.