Response to Giovanni Battista Morgagni and the Foundation of Modem Medicine

Response to Giovanni Battista Morgagni and the Foundation of Modem Medicine Ventura HO. Clin Cardiol. 2000;23:792–794.

To the Editor:

We read with interest the article published in Clinical Cardiology on Giovanni Battista Morgagni by Ventura, highlighting how his seminal work laid the foundation of the development of modern Medicine.1 The author provides us with many historical facts about Morgagni, but some important corrections must be made.

Ventura states on page 793: “In 1711, he was appointed Professor of Practical Medicine at the University of Padua, and 4 years later, the university authorities, on the advice of Lancisi, appointed him Professor of Anatomy.”1 As a matter of fact, in 1711, Morgagni was invited to the Second Chair of Theoretical Medicine at Padua University.2, 3 This information is also posted on University of Padua's website (http://www.unipd‐scuolagalileiana.it/content/il‐collegio). The theoretical medicine discipline program included the discussion of traditional books at that time, such as The Canon of Medicine by Avicenna, the Aphorism by Hippocrates commented by Galeno, and The Book of Prognostics by Hippocrates.4 Morgagni was also free to give an updated and personal approach.4 In 1715, Morgagni was promoted by the Venetian Senate to the First Chair of Anatomy, because Michelangelo Molinetto died the year before.3, 5 Renowned figures had occupied the Chair of Anatomy at Padua; among them were Vesalius, Fallopius, Gasserius, and Spigelius.5 Some theoretical medicine classes given by Morgagni in the period from 1711 to 1715 have been published between 1964 and 1992 (http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/giovanni‐battista‐morgagni_(Dizionario_Biografico)/). 4

The University of Padua is among the oldest in the world, established in 1222, whereas the teaching of medicine at the university began around 1250, with the Collegium of Medical and Arts Doctors.3 As the university's archives tell (http://www.unipd.it/archivio/archiviostorico/archivioantico/collegioartista.htm), to receive a Bachelor's degree in medicine by the University of Padua in 1710s, medical students must have had satisfactorily completed a final examination, but it is unclear in those records if the examinations consisted of written or oral parts or both. The examining committee was composed of 8 faculty members, including the First and the Second Theoretical Medicine Chairs, as well as the First and the Second Anatomy Chairs.

On page 793 of Ventura's article there are still other incorrections. One of them was "He died at age 89, in the house to which he had brought his family, at 3003 Via S. Massimo." A few lines above, the author was providing information about unpublished manuscripts written by Morgagni, mentioning they had been found in the library at Parma.1 The reader may have been misled. Morgagni died in Padua, not in Parma. The address provided is also inaccurate. The correct address is 2 Via San Massimo, which is very close to Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova (Padua University Hospital), the well‐known and largest medical centre in the Northeast Italy. A picture showing Morgagni's home is provided (Figure 1). Ventura mentioned that the plaque that could be seen at the front part of his house,1 which is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1.

Morgagni's house at 2 San Massimo, Padua, Italy. The premises are located close to the University of Padua, at which he was Professor of Theoretical Medicine and Anatomy. It is a 3‐building house, with a plaque honoring Morgagni's death (on the right).

Figure 2.

Memorial plaque on the wall of Morgagni's house with the Latin inscription "Giamb. Morgagni Fondata l'anatome patologica qui moriva a 6 dic‐1771" (Giamb. Morgagni founded the Anatomic Pathology; died here in December 6, 1771).

Morgagni was buried at the Saint Maxim Church, some 300 meters away from his house. At the same spot, his wife and 5 of his 15 children, 4 daughters and 1 son were already buried.6 His gravestone lies in the floor on the right side of the church, facing the altar.

FláviaF. A. Vale
Federal University of Minas Gerais
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Paulo C. R. P.Corrêa, MD, MPH
Department of Clinical Medicine
Federal University of Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto, Brazil