"Accademia di Storia dell'Arte Sanitaria" is an Academy located in Rome (Lungotevere in Sassia, 3).
It was founded on April 22nd 1920, during the Reign of Italy. It is located in a wing of the The Monumental Complex of Santo Spirito in Sassia, which is the most ancient Roman hospital dating from the IX AD.
In 1911, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the proclamation of the Reign of Italy there was an exhibition, held in Sant’Angelo Castle, of historical health artifacts collected and sorted by Mariano Borgatti, Pietro Capparoni and Giovanni Carbonelli. In order to preserve the materials, the historical Institute of health-care and its museum were founded. On April 10th, 1934, the Institute became an Academy offering contests, lectures and conferences. The Academy also acquired its logo, a green palm tree on a gold background, and its motto: “nec in arido arescit”.
Today Academy's members are historians and physicians from all over Italy and abroad. The academy plays an intensive program of scientific activities in the field of history of medicine and medical disciplines in general.
The academy runs the Museo Storico Nazionale dell'arte sanitaria, which was established in 1933 and it is one of the most important thematic museums in the world. It hosts ancient findings of great interest for the history of medicine and science.
THE ENTRANCE TO THE ACCADEMIA
THE ENTRANCE PORTICO
On the left wall there is the coat of arms of Pius IX with a marble plaque dating back to 1866, below there is a marble mortar sided by angelic statues.
SALA ALESSANDRINA
This big hall was originally called "ospedaletto" (small hospital) because it was designed to shelter those wounded during the war. It could accommodate 64 individuals. It is 33.11 m long, 10.78 m wide and 10.89 m high. It is currently used as a conference room.
On the walls there are 19 tables which Antonio Serantony painted with the help of Paolo Mascagni including some life-size ones showing various systems (lymphatic, muscular, circulatory, bone) dating back to 1800s . At the bottom there is a plaster statue representing Aesculapius; there is also a Cesare Serono's bust.
STAIRCASE
The monumental staircase provides access to the upper floor, on both sides there are busts of eminent physicians such as Hippocrates. On the landing is placed a wooden chest dating from the seventeenth century and decorated with lion heads used to preserve medicinal plants which was once placed in the pharmacy of the hospital itself.
By accessing the room Flajani, on the sides of the entrance gate, you can admire the medallions featuring Pious VI and Francesco Saverio de Zelada with the memorial tabltes that recall the founders of the museum and the first president of the Academy.
- Photos, main text and page layout by Martina Ceraudo moc.liamg|oduarec.anitram#| and Federica Fichera moc.liamtoh|tevdem_edef#| (December 2015), courtesy of the "Accademia di Storia dell'Arte Sanitaria".
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Related items:
- Cesare Serono's Bust
- Cinchona Bark's wooden chest
- Giovanni Maria Lancisi's Academic Chair
- Giuseppe Sisco by Gaspare Landi
- Museo Storico Nazionale dell’Arte Sanitaria
- Pietro Capparoni's memorial tablet
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