Ca' Granda, Hortus simplicium: Restoring an Ancient Medicinal Garden of XV-XIX Century in Milan (Italy).

This work is based on the study of 150 majolica vases dated back to the mid XVII century that once preserved medicinal remedies prepared in the ancient Pharmacy annexed to the Ospedale Maggiore Ca' Granda in Milan (Lombardy, Italy). The Hortus simplicium was created in 1641 as a source of plant-based ingredients for those remedies. The main objective of the present work is to lay the knowledge base for the restoration of the ancient Garden for educational and informative purposes. Therefore, the following complementary phases were carried out: (i) the analysis of the inscriptions on the jars, along with the survey on historical medical texts, allowing for the positive identification of the plant ingredients of the remedies and their ancient use as medicines; (ii) the bibliographic research in modern pharmacological literature in order to validate or refute the historical uses; (iii) the realization of the checklist of plants potentially present in cultivation at the ancient Garden, concurrently with the comparison with the results of a previous in situ archaeobotanical study concerning pollen grains. For the species selection, considerations were made also regarding drug amounts in the remedies and pedoclimatic conditions of the study area. Out of the 150 vases, 108 contained plant-based remedies, corresponding to 148 taxa. The remedies mainly treated gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. At least one of the medicinal uses was validated in scientific literature for 112 out of the 148 examined species. Finally, a checklist of 40 taxa, presumably hosted in the Hortus simplicium, was assembled.

COVID 19 and Spanish flu pandemics: All it changes, nothing changes.

The Corona Virus 19 (COVID 19) epidemic is an infectious disease which was declared as a pandemic and hit all the Countries, all over the world, from the beginning of the year 2020. There are many similarities between the COVID 19 epidemic and the Spanish flu epidemic. We considered some preventive measures which do not change in the two epidemics.

[CORPSE CONSERVATION: ATTILIO MAGGIA'S PREPARATIONS]. / LA CONSERVAZIONE INDEFINITA DEL CADAVERE: LE PREPARAZIONI DI ATTILIO MAGGIA.

The authors analyze Attilio Maggia's method of corpse conservation. His method was based on development of formaline vapours and preservation of corpse into a hermetically closed coffin (U.S.Patent 1150688 - Aug. 17, 1915). The corpses preserved could also be hardened after the treatment, exposing them to the air. Attilio Maggia (1864-1945) treated the corpse of italian writer Giovanni Verga (1840-1922). Some Maggia's preparations were preserved into obstetrical museum at Milan University: they are lost, but some records remain (an old inventory register) and attest us the industry of this physician.

[The Medical Collections of Milan major hospital]. / Le Collezioni Sanitarie dell'Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, mangiagalli e Regina Elena di Milano.

This essay shows the uncommon occurrence of collections developed in a Hospital. In the past centuries the obstetrical gynaecological (since 18th Century) and anatomical collections (since 1829) were oriented to medical education, while the Pharmacy had a rich equipment. In the first half of 20th century, a Museum open to the public was planned, but the second World War and the absence of interest induce the loss of a large part of the materials. Since 2002 we had censed, collected, and listed the historical instruments, and in 2005 we realized a permanent exhibition. The collections combine about 1500 items. We have especial care to save also modern objects and equipments, after they are disused. At last we hope to realize a real Museum, and we search to assume peculiarities, goals, strength, potentials users, custom.