Insanity in Malta at the time of the Knights

Malta medical journal

Giovanni Bonello¹ 

关键词: Insanity;    knights;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: University of Malta * Medical School

【 摘 要 】

Four brief case histories April 22 ,1770. " This morning my maid Grezzja suffered an attack of madness and left home to dance in the middle of the street; she is now in the hospital for incurables in fetters" .1 May 1, 1770. Some days ago the knight Decatour having been taken to hospital suffering from a crazy head (con la testa poco matta) standing near the main altar in the presence of the prior, lunged at the prelate, but he managed to escape and went to the infirmarian who came down and had him chained in the stoffa 2 and the master equerry of the marshal arrived with four soldiers to lock him up in the tower, but the prodromo (manager) refused, saying that since he was in chains and is mad, that means that he is ill and for this reason he was kept in custody.3 September 28, 1770. Don Ercole Paulucci, a priest from Valletta, who taught civil, canon and criminal law to all the doctors of law in Malta, aged 77, grown insane through alcoholism, got hold of a dagger and a pistol and went after those of his household. The people ran pleading for help, and the soldiers arrived and immobilized him until the ministers of the bishop came on the spot and led him to the bishop’s palace. The bishop left him in the hall and while there, he defaecated in the middle of the room. The bishop sent him home in the custody of two guards throughout all the night. During the day they took him to St Angelo. He dealt with many of the Grand Master’s lawsuits and was un’ uomo sincero e faceva la giustizia.4 June 9, 1772. In Zejtun lived two brothers, both priests, nicknamed tal –Vandomu, wealthy and of good morals. One suffered from hypochondria (pathological depression). Last night, while his brother was asleep, he grabbed a shaving razor and went to cut his brother’s throat. Feeling the wound, the sleeper started shouting, and the one with the razor, realizing what he had done, slashed himself with the blade cutting his arms and leapt out of the window into the street, breaking his shoulders. Both were given the last sacraments and extreme unction.5

【 授权许可】

Unknown