The Sacra Infermeria was a renowned hospital thanks to the efficiency and the professionalism of the staff members. Famous surgeons such as Michelangelo Grima strengthened the reputation of the hospital. Such surgeons would have received their training at the school within the hospital the School of Anatomy and Surgery. Nevertheless, Grima wanted to pursue his studies abroad and strengthen his knowledge of surgery. After finishing his studies in Florence, Grima turned to the Order of Saint John and asked for a scholarship in Paris to further his studies.
In 1759, the Council of the Order granted Grima a three-year Scholarship in Paris in order to complete his postgraduate studies, on the condition that Michelangelo Grima would return to Malta upon completing his studies. During his year in Paris, Grima published his dissertation on intestinal suturing, which was regarded as impressive work by the University surgeons. The dissertation was an original work, titled ‘Del Nuovo Metodo di Cucire gl’Intestini’, where Grima explained the results of the experiments that he had carried out on suturing by means of spiral stitching during his time in Florence.
After a year of studies in Paris, Grima decided to serve as a military surgeon with the French Army during the Seven Years War. His two-year period working at the field hospital in Cassell, Germany, led him to believe that war was “the great school not only of traumatic surgery but of the whole of medicine.” As a result of his experience Grima became exceptionally skilled at traumatic surgery and diagnosing various wounds and head trauma on the battlefield. The same experiences also led him to writing a book ‘Della Medicina Traumatica detta Vulnerraria,’ published in Florence in 1773. In the book Michelangelo Grima discusses in detail his methods for diagnosing and treating several types of head traumas and injuries he commonly encountered while serving as a military surgeon.
Michelangelo Grima returned to Malta in 1763, after over 13 years abroad perfecting his surgical skills with an intensive traumatic surgery experience in the field of war. On September 26th of that year, he was appointed Chief Surgeon at the Sacra Infermeria and just two months later, on November 27th, he was appointed Lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery. By December 3rd, Grima was fully licensed to practice medicine in Malta. Upon Grima’s return, Grand Master Pinto pushed for a reorganisation of the Medical School under Michelangelo Grima’s leadership. At that time, the school was attracting a growing number of Maltese and foreign students alike. Grima eagerly took on the challenge and he quickly established himself as both an excellent teacher and a talented surgeon.
In those days the only teaching method that was accepted consisted of the lecturer dictating notes, this method proved to be both a discouraging and a tiring procedure. However, Grima came up with another method in order to save time. He wrote books on anatomy for his students and suggested readings for the following lessons so that his students would attend the next lecture prepared for the subject. This proved to be more efficient since the course of anatomy could be completed in just one year. Michelangelo Grima also founded the Practical School of Medico-Surgical Operations on Cadavers and ran it on the same basis as that of Florence. He believed that dissections were of great importance and made sure that every theoretical lecture was followed by a practical one. Grima also had an original method when it came to teaching traumatic surgery. He would shoot at a cadaver from different angles using a pistol, the students then had to extract the bullets and bone fragments embedded in the wound. Operative Surgery was also included as part of the final examinations by Grima himself. During the exam the students had to carry out operations on cadavers in front of the examiners.
The latest development in the long history of the Sacra Infermeria came only last year, when a new virtual museum, titled ‘Reliving The Sacra Infermeria’, was inaugurated. The idea of a virtual museum, which brings together history and technology, was brought about by the need to satisfy visitors’ curiosity about the building’s former history without interrupting ongoing conferences or theatre performances that are regularly held here. Now, by downloading a mobile application that makes use of augmented reality, one can once more relive the building’s former days as a hospital.
Re-Living the Sacra Infermeria is a project co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund.
Michelangelo Grima returned to Malta in 1763, after over 13 years abroad perfecting his surgical skills with an intensive traumatic surgery experience in the field of war. On September 26th of that year, he was appointed Chief Surgeon at the Sacra Infermeria and just two months later, on November 27th, he was appointed Lecturer in Anatomy and Surgery. By December 3rd, Grima was fully licensed to practice medicine in Malta. Upon Grima’s return, Grand Master Pinto pushed for a reorganisation of the Medical School under Michelangelo Grima’s leadership. At that time, the school was attracting a growing number of Maltese and foreign students alike. Grima eagerly took on the challenge and he quickly established himself as both an excellent teacher and a talented surgeon.
In those days the only teaching method that was accepted consisted of the lecturer dictating notes, this method proved to be both a discouraging and a tiring procedure. However, Grima came up with another method in order to save time. He wrote books on anatomy for his students and suggested readings for the following lessons so that his students would attend the next lecture prepared for the subject. This proved to be more efficient since the course of anatomy could be completed in just one year. Michelangelo Grima also founded the Practical School of Medico-Surgical Operations on Cadavers and ran it on the same basis as that of Florence. He believed that dissections were of great importance and made sure that every theoretical lecture was followed by a practical one. Grima also had an original method when it came to teaching traumatic surgery. He would shoot at a cadaver from different angles using a pistol, the students then had to extract the bullets and bone fragments embedded in the wound. Operative Surgery was also included as part of the final examinations by Grima himself. During the exam the students had to carry out operations on cadavers in front of the examiners.
The latest development in the long history of the Sacra Infermeria came only last year, when a new virtual museum, titled ‘Reliving The Sacra Infermeria’, was inaugurated. The idea of a virtual museum, which brings together history and technology, was brought about by the need to satisfy visitors’ curiosity about the building’s former history without interrupting ongoing conferences or theatre performances that are regularly held here. Now, by downloading a mobile application that makes use of augmented reality, one can once more relive the building’s former days as a hospital.
Re-Living the Sacra Infermeria is a project co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund.
References:
Cassar, P. (1969). Malta and its medical school. Chest-piece, 3(1), 11-15.
Psaila, J. V. (1972). Grima: the eighteenth century surgeon. Chest-piece, 3(5), 29-41.
Malta Medical Journal. 2006, Vol.18(4), p. 42-48
Rozena, S. Disease and Dissection: A History of Surgery in Malta. Museum of the Order of St. John. Retrieved June 16, 2021, from https://museumstjohn.org.uk/disease-and-dissection-a-history-of-surgery-in-malta/
Cassar, P. (1969). Malta and its medical school. Chest-piece, 3(1), 11-15.
Psaila, J. V. (1972). Grima: the eighteenth century surgeon. Chest-piece, 3(5), 29-41.
Malta Medical Journal. 2006, Vol.18(4), p. 42-48
Rozena, S. Disease and Dissection: A History of Surgery in Malta. Museum of the Order of St. John. Retrieved June 16, 2021, from https://museumstjohn.org.uk/disease-and-dissection-a-history-of-surgery-in-malta/
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