Comparative Study of SPA Mud from "Bacino Idrominerario Omogeneo dei Colli Euganei (B.I.O.C.E.)-Italy" and Industrially Optimized Mud for Skin Applications

The term "Salus per aquam (SPA) therapies" refers to therapeutic pathways that includes mud therapy. The therapeutic efficacy of a peloid depends on its chemical and mineralogical composition, as well as its technological properties. Considering the increasing use of clay-based products, it becomes essential to characterize peloids from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. Therefore, this research project aimed to develop a protocol that allows characterization of the chemical-physical composition of sludges collected from different areas of the Homogeneous Euganean Hills Hydromineral Basin (B.I.O.C.E.). The study established a comparative study both between different matrices and between the same matrices at different maturation times, including also a comparison with an industrialized product, that can be used at home, which maintains the characteristics of a natural mud. This research was developed studying the pH, grain size distribution, and chemical and mineralogical composition. Peloids are characterized by a neutral/basic pH and are divided into two categories from a granulometric point of view: The chemical composition allowed observation of numerous correlations between oxides present in the samples and to quantify the presence of heavy metals. Mineralogical analysis made it possible to identify and compare the composition of each sample, also according to the maturation time. Thanks to the methods adopted, important correlations were achieved

Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Spanish flu in the City of Ferrara and in Italy. Containment Rules and Health Measures Adopted in the Past to Fight the Pandemic

The “Spanish” flu has often been described as the “Greatest Medical Holocaust in History” and most vic- tims were young and healthy. In Italy, as elsewhere, this pandemic influenza struck in three successive and close waves with incredible speed in a very short time. The virus first arrived in a few Italian regions and gripped the country in an epidemic clamp. When the flu hit Ferrara, the health authorities began to claim that it was no more or less like the same disease that Ferrara had also experienced in the 19th century, al- though the population was not very willing to believe them. Moreover, the control measures were considered by all to be extremely mild, varying only the opening hours of cinemas and pharmacies and forbidding spit- ting on the ground; there was no disinfection of stores and streets and the dead were left at home for three days, unlike in larger cities. In 1918-19, Ferrara did much to contain the devastating effects of the war, es- pecially in terms of saving lives. The largest Red Cross unit in Italy, later called Ospedale Nuovo, was built. Moreover, since Ferrara was the first hospital evacua- tion zone, it was necessary to build other hospitals in the city’s schools in addition to the already existing ones, including the famous Ospedale Militare Neurologi- co di Villa Seminario, which was the first Italian neuro- logical hospital of the Great War for veterans of the front line, intended for the specialised treatment of nervous disorders and psychosis caused by the war or by bombs. We have extracted the cases of death from the Register of Deaths of the Municipality of Ferrara. During the pe- riod January 1918 - June 1919, in addition to the num- ber of deaths due to influenza, grippe or Spanish flu we also considered influenza-related complications affect- ing mortality and identified seven main groups of dis- eases by grouping them according to morbid forms and anatomical location. According to these criteria, 1,059 deaths were attributable to influenza or related causes during January-December 1918. This partly reflects the excess of deaths in the year 1918 of 1,279 over the aver- age for the years 1916-1919, and 1920. The largest num- ber of deaths was attributable to bronchopneumonia and pneumonia. However, an increase in mortality from other infectious diseases such as typhoid ileus, tuberculosis, malaria and smallpox was observed dur- ing the same period until January 2019, making up the shortfall in the total number of deaths recorded

La Chimica Farmaceutica a Ferrara dal 1801

In Ferrara, per Decreto datato 9 ottobre 1801 L’ispezione generale di Pubblica Istruzione della Repubblica Cisalpina approva la richiesta e i Riformatori sanciscono la creazione della SCUOLA DI CHIMICA FARMACEUTICA assegnandone per competenza il corso al prof. Antonio Campana. Attraverso documenti d’Archivio viene descritta la nascita della Chimica Farmaceutica, una delle prime cattedre istituite in Italia: il Decreto, l’affidamento del corso a Campana, la ricognizione dei locali e l’allestimento dei laboratori presso l’Arcispedale di S. Anna e S. Carlo. L’ Inventario de’ Mobili, Generi, ed Instrumenti esistenti nel Laboratorio vicino a S. Carlo di ragione dell’Università comprende anche Libri e una sorprendente appendice

La spezieria del Magno spedale S.Anna di Ferrara

Per Bolla papale di papa Eugenio IV l’8 ottobre 1440 Giovanni Tavelli da Tossignano ottiene il consenso alla costruzione di un ospedale degno di una grande corte come quella Estense. Che fino dai primordi fosse istituita nell’interno del Nosocomio una Spezieria è cosa risaputa e comprovata da tutte le memorie storiche, anche più antiche. "Altissimus creavit de terra medicamenta et vir prudens non abhorrebit illa" (Liber Ecclesiasticus XXXVIII, 4) era stato fatto incidere dal Beato Tavelli e si leggeva nell’antica sede fino al primo Novecento. Locali adeguati all’importanza della spezieria erano corredati di importanti arredi impreziositi di opere d’arte di valore (Dosso Dossi e Girolamo da Carpi). Vengono qui riportati i risultati della ricerca in Archivi, di Stato e Comunale, e Biblioteche ferraresi di documenti inediti in un arco temporale che va dal XV ai primi decenni del XX secolo. Tra i tanti, alcuni evidenziano difficoltà di bilancio, mai soddisfacente, ma con un principio che si leggeva già nel primo Regolamento del 1598 "Prouederà, che principalmente la Speziaria sia sempre abbondantemente fornita di tutto cio, che per li medicamenti ordinari, & per gli accidenti, che possono occorrere fa mestieri; e sopra tutto di robbe fresche, ed elette, non giouandogli in iscusa lo sparmio di quattro baiocchi, doue si tratta della vita del prossimo"

La Chimica Farmaceutica a Ferrara dal 1801. 200 anni di storia

La Chimica Farmaceutica nasce a Ferrara con Antonio Campana nel 1801. Vengono tracciati 200 anni di storia, fino alla fine del XX secolo

Ancient Treatment for Lice: a Source of Suggestions for Carriers of Other Infectious Diseases?

Louse infestation is one of the oldest contagious pes- tilential diseases of humankind, which has recently re-emerged in several developing countries as well as in homeless individuals and migrants. The present work provides the first phase of an historical excursus of louse remedies based on the classics of pharmaceu- tical literature, codes, pharmacopoeia and treatises. The second phase involves a literature search, based on the principal medical databases (SciFinder, Pu- bmed, Google Scholar, ISI-Web of Science and Scopus), to match ancient raw materials and active principles for the treatment of pediculosis and their possible ap- plications, with other current infectious pathologies transmitted by different carriers. In this regard, Rho- dodendron tomentosum has revealed repellent insect activity, particularly against Aedes aegypti, responsible for Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro, yellow fever and other infectious diseases. Petroseli- num crispum is an insecticide employed for resistant strains of A. aegypti. In the case of Delphinium staphis- agria, the phytochemical profile was further investi- gated with the identification of further molecules in addition to delphinine. The latter shows interesting activities against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania. Anthemis pyrethrum, now renamed as Anacyclus pyre- thrum, although not containing pyrethrins present in several plants of the genus Chrysanthemum, revealed pediculicidal activity but did not produce satisfactory results in antiprotozoal activity

Libreto de lo excellentissimo physic maistro Michele Sauonarola: de tutte le cose che se manzano […] & di quelle se beueno […] & le regule per conseruare la sanita.

Food in the Regimina sanitatis by Savonarola: a booklet. The Libreto can be found in the Bliblioteca Comunale Ariostea of Ferrara (1515 and 1544 editions). It was dedicated to Borso d'Este by Michele Savonarola, a very important court physician in the Athenaeum of Ferrara. It belongs to the Regimina sanitatis, universal rules that were employed for the preservation of health thanks to dietetic and hygienic rules of the School of Salerno. Most of his work is dedicated to food

Control Measures of a 400-Year-Old Plague Epidemic: An Example of Past Efficiency at Controlling Disease and Similarities with Current Epidemics

The plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, provides one of the best historical examples of pan- demic infection. It can therefore be considered the first “globalized” disease, thanks also to the crowds that favoured the rebalancing of infectious agents between Europe and the Middle East. In this paper we analyse all the official documents of the time, highlighting the most effective prevention measures implemented in the city of Ferrara during the Italian plague. Historical mortality data for the 1630 Italian plague in northern Italy are first analysed. In contrast to the high rates recorded throughout the area from Milan to Florence, the mortality rate in Fer- rara remained normal over the period. From the city’s documents it emerged that the authorities, from the 16th century onwards, had already understood that the spread of the contagion could also occur through domestic animals, although rats are never mentioned. The strength of Ferrara’s response to the “plague emer- gency” stems from an efficient and emergency-ready health control system, financed and supported by the “permanent surveillance team of the city and the Pon- tifical Legation of Ferrara - Azienda Sanitaria Pubblica” even in times of great economic difficulty for the State. Among the various measures that the city of Ferrara adopted to deal with the plague the following should be mentioned: guards at the city gates, lazarettos, safe- ty of doctors, self-isolation and treatment of every sus- picious case as if it were a real case of plague, meas- ures to support the poorer classes of the population, veterinary and hygiene standards for the city and for housing, management of Catholic religious functions and the precepts of the Legation of Ferrara, which was under papal control, closure of churches to avoid mass gatherings, and limitations of all kinds of social and economic relations within and outside the population. The broad regimen, laid down in the 16th century, con- tains extremely modern health rules which are very much in line with those recommended by the WHO and the health authorities of each individual state in the current COVID-19 pandemic, even starting with hand-washing. The fight against epidemics of the past, especially the history of the plague in the 17th centu- ry, anticipates very important and valid concepts, and represents a wake-up call for the recent epidemics of emerging pathogens

Alcune note di "Farmacia" da un manoscritto ottocentesco conservato a Palazzo Paradiso sede dello Studio ferrarese, ora della Biblioteca Comunale Ariostea di Ferrara.

Una interessante documentazione ottocentesca, conservata nelle collezioni storiche dei manoscritti della Biblioteca Comunale Ariostea di Ferrara, è all’attenzione del presente intervento che mira a ricostruire come avvenisse la formazione dei futuri farmacisti e chi erano. Le testimonianze si concentrano negli anni che vanno dal 1824 al 1830 quando Ferrara era parte della Legazione Pontificia e la Casa delle Scienze - ossia lo Studio ferrarese - era saldamente incardinata a Palazzo Paradiso. Da non dimenticare che a pochi anni di distanza, nel 1836, fu pubblicato l’Ordinamento sulle Farmacie nello Stato Pontificio, costituito da cinquantacinque articoli, a cui gli Stati soggetti alla Santa Sede, come Ferrara, dovettero uniformarsi. Tutta una serie di regolamenti, di disposizioni che trovano origine nella preparazione che i farmacisti dell’epoca dovevano dimostrare di possedere. I testimoni in oggetto, da contestualizzarsi in una società che è distante duecento anni dalla nostra, sono da ritenersi importanti tracce di una disciplina tanto antica quanto in continuo sviluppo. I manoscritti appartennero alla collezione privata del canonico Giuseppe Antonelli, che li ricevette in dono da monsignor Antonio Marescotti, proprio in quegli anni rettore dell’Università di Ferrara. Nel 1884, la collezione fu acquistata dalla Municipalità per la Biblioteca Pubblica, ora Ariostea

Veleni e magiche pozioni Grandi storie di cure e delitti

Vengono svelati i segreti di veleni e rimedi dall'antichità ad oggi, dalle testimonianze archeologiche alle espressioni artistiche, passando attraverso i racconti di antichi codici, di streghe e pozioni magiche. Le fonti storiche sono accostate alla moderna ricerca scientifica, che ne spiega le reali funzioni e smaschera false credenze. L'affascinante mondo dei veleni e della farmacopea viene raccontato attraverso le epoche storiche, ricostruendo il percorso di questo fondamentale aspetto della vita sociale, mostrando oggetti legati all'esperienza del nostro quotidiano ma anche ad un mondo magico