History of medicine The History <!{Bologna University's Medica/ School 
The history oj Bowgna University's 
Medica[ School over the centuries. 
A short review 
P. Moroni 
SUMMARY 
The foundation of the Medica! School of the Bologna University was a rather longer lasting process. The 
beginning goes back to the year 1063. The title teacher appeared after the year 1170, while such a title 
could have been obtained by the church authorities since 1179. The city statutes far medicine date back 
to the year 1378. Many prominent personalities had contributed with their activities through the centuries 
to the celebrity of Bologna University. 
The Bologna University is recognized worldwide to 
be the oldest in the world, so that it is referred to as 
"Alma Mater Studiorum". There is no predse foundation 
date because as Carducci said on the occasion of the 
800th anniversary, "The University assembled autono-
mously and expanded privately" (1). 
The olclest note dates back to a notaiy act of 1063, 
to juclges Alfrec!us ancl Stephanus anc! to the notary act 
of 981, which referred to a cloctor, callecl Petrus (2). 
Was he a teacher? Perhaps he was like Bonanclus in 1075 
anc! Martinus in 1083. The "teacher" title appears only 
after 1170 for Martino, Guelfo, Moranc!o, Grillo,Jacopo 
da Bertinoro ancl others (3). We must consider that the 
University of Bologna was bom as a free association, 
private ancl secular. This was the result ofthe association 
of an active ancl productive society, as opposecl to the 
nobility of the rural feuc!alism (2). There were private 
Acta Dermatoven APA Vol 9, 2000, No 2 
contracts between famous professionals and groups of 
st:udents who chose such a person asa 'teacher'. Such a 
title could be obtainecl by anyone as long as a request 
was macle to the church authorities (clisposition of 1179) 
(4). 
Naturally, many cletails related to the site of the 
school, furnishings, heating, the books, ancl to the 
recognition of the degree remain unanswerecl. Direct 
confrontation between the two parties resolved indi-
vic!ual problems (2). Generally, the teacher requested 
payment that included expenses requir_ed to nm the 
school. In some cases the teacher w0ulc! also house 
students. Students, in neecl to clefend their own interests, 
their relationship with the City Hall anc! citizens, money 
exchange, etc. , would organize themselves in groups 
called the "Universitates". There was one for lawyers 
anc! one for artists, which included Medicine (5). 
73 
The History of"Bologna University's Medica/ Sclwol 
The "Universitates" were subdivided into "Nationes". 
The School of Medicine had four; the "Ultramontani" 
for students who came from towns beyond the Alps, 
and the "Lombardi", the "Toscani" and "Romani", for 
students according to the regions from which they 
originated„ Each "Nationes" elected one or two 
counselors who in turn elected the Dean. The Dean 
and Counselors would select the lecturers, fixed the 
terms and payment of the appointment, chose the 
books, whether they should be rented or purchased, 
and would be in touch with the City Hall (5). The lectu-
rers, i.e. scholars, used to gather at the Council of Doc-
tors. At the end of the four years of study, as was then 
required for Medicine, they conferred the doctor 's 
degree. The title was recognized because the City was 
an independent State (5). These agreements created the 
basis for city statutes that became indispensable in the 
XIII centrny due to a great number of students, about 
10,000 at the tirne, a third ofBologna's citizens . The city 
statutes for Medicine date back to 1378. 
The interference of City Hall gained importance in 
managing the University's affairs: salaries of lecturers 
and assignment of rooms (no longer the teachers' 
home). In fact, City Hall transformed the University from 
free and private into a state-run body. Private schools 
continued to exist though less attended, because they 
were not recognized by the City Hall (5). These events 
marked the beginning of a crisis for the University. The 
Secular and the Ecclesiastical authorities imposed their 
interests on the Universitywhich fact limited its freedom 
of thought and research, in some instances blocking 
them completely. In the XI and XII century, Bologna's 
medica! knowledge developed from Latin and Greek 
books. Arabic authors were also well known in Bologna 
thanks to the efforts of Emperor Frederic II and the 
Crusades in which the Bolognese army participated 
accompanied by their own doctors. There were also 
lecturers on Arab and Hebrew medica! literature for a 
number ofyears (6). Their teaching included anatomy, 
physiology, pathology and therapy. Preparation of the 
Teriaca or Triaca was an important event in the city with 
the official participation of municipal and ecclesiastical 
authorities (5). 
Anatomy was a great and traditional commitment 
for its teachers. Although the ethic-religious rules 
prohibited the dissection of corpses, it was a frequent 
secret practice. Predse anatomical descriptions found 
in Guglielmo da Saliceto surgical text books bear witness 
to this practice; for they could not be a simple translation 
of Alessaclrini's texts (7). The problem had surgical 
relevance and in fact, severa! teachers who hacl written 
anatomical observations were surgeons, and thus they 
bestowed honor upon the position of "surgeons", which 
in past centuries had never been considered a scholarly 
clegree. 
74 
History ofmedi cine 
Between the encl of the XIII centrny and the be-
ginning of the XIV, Monclino Dei Liuzzi who reopened 
the tradition of the Alexandria School, practicing vivi-
section, published his obse1vations in an Anatomy boo k, 
used until the ene! of the XVI centrny, and in fact, began 
experimental research in Anatomy (8). After him, Ale-
ssandro Achillini, a follower of Averroes theories , stu-
died the choledoclrns, colon and gall bladder. Beren-
gario da Carpi was a surgeon, famous for his description 
of the appendix, thymus, the function of the carcliac 
valves, fractures, cranium, and the use of mercu1y to 
treat syphilis. Giulio Cesare Aranzio took interest in 
embryology (Arantius ducts) and vessels (Arantius 
bodies). In 1500, Varolio studied the encephalus (pons 
Varolii); Gaspare Tagliacozzi began plastic surgery. 
Girolamo Cardano, a mathematician ancl a good doctor 
practiced ureterotomy ancl external nephrectomy . 
Gerolamo Mercuriale translated Hippocrates and w as 
interested in Hygiene, Toxicoloi,>y, Pediatrics and Ophthal-
mology. In the XVII century, Giorgio Scharpius, already 
famous in Montpellier (France), and the Irishman, Neil 
Glacon, who transferrecl himself from Toulouse 
(France), taught at the Bologna University. The period 
became famous due to Marcello Malpighi, supporter of 
the experimental methods. He used the microscope to 
study the capillaries of the pulmonary alveolus, cor-
puscles of the kidney, corpuscles of the spleen, mucous 
bodies and epidermal follicles. His student, Antonio 
Maria Valsalva, investigatecl the ear, colon, vagus and 
created the "maneuver ofValsalva" (3, 4). 
The great number of students that came from many 
Italian regions and from abroad favored the creation of 
colleges. Some ofthe oldest colleges date back to 1257 
and the most recent one was established in 1857. There 
were separate colleges established for Italian students 
from Bologna, Reggio, Parma, Lucca, Genova, and Pied-
mont. There were also colleges established for stuclents 
from abroad: Avignon, Gregorian (for needy students 
from Limoges), former Yugoslavia, Hunga1y, Flanders 
and Spain (the latter stili exists). The Collegium 
Hungarico-Illiricum existed from 1557 to 1781 (9,10). 
The XVIII centmy witnessed the most critical period 
of the University because of the loss of every freedom, 
even that of thought and the prerogatives to appoint 
teachers. Favored were the citizens of Bologna, thus 
eliminating fair competition. Regardless of this situation, 
three brilliant women gave luster to the School of Medi-
cine, Laura Bassi, Marina Gaetana Agnesi and Anna Mo-
randi Marzolini who created anatomical models follo-
wing Valsalva's instructions. Their models are on display 
in the museum of the Institute of Human Anatomy. 
Emilio Lelli's famous skinless anatomical models are in 
the Archigimnasio Theater of anatomy. Here, above the 
podium, one can see the window from which the person 
appointed by the Church would check on the teachers ' 
Acta Dermatoven APA Vol 9, 2000, No 2 
History ofmedi cine The History oj Bologna University's Medica/ School 
(1). The Academy became well known and was recog-
nized internationally, it cooperated with other Societies 
and Scientific Academies such as the Royal Society of 
London and France 's Academy of Science. Bologna 
University's Academy was famous in the fields of Mathe-
matics, Astronomy, Physiology and Biology. The famous 
textbook "De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari" 
was published by Luigi Galvani (1). 
Figure 1 . Anatomical theatre in the old Bologna 
University, 16th century 
In the Napoleonic era, old ordinances were aboli-
shed and the University became national. The old tea-
ching hospitals, such as that of Life and that of Death, 
had already given way to the Maggiore Hospital. When 
the Medica! School was reorganized at the beginning 
of the 1800's, many professorship positions for the 
different specialties became available (1). Their respec-
tive research institutes were transferred to the Saint 
Orsola Hospital where the clinical departments were 
located. Over the years the medica! department became 
well known thanks to Augusto Murri. The Orthopedics 
Clinic, located in the prestigious Rizzoli Hospital, 
reached international farne thanks to the work of Ale-
ssandro Codivilla and Vittorio Putti. lessons without being seen. 
The crisis ended with the help of Luigi Ferdinanda 
Marsili, a member of the Royal Society of London, who 
also founded the Academy of Sciences at the University 
The newer history of Bologna University will be 
dealt with in another manuscript, which is being pre-
pared. 
REFERENCES 
AUTHOR'S 
ADDRESS 
Acta Dermatoven APA Vol 9, 2000, No 2 
1. I Professori dell'Universita di Bologna. L'Universita di Bologna nei tempi passati e nei tempi presenti. 
N. Zanichelli, Bologna 1919. 
2. Maragi M. Dalle Scuole private all'Universitas Artistarum. Da R A. Bemabeo e G D'Antuono: La Scuola 
Medica di Bologna, Settecento anni di storia. Vol.1. Firma libri 1987. 
3. Sarti M, Fattotini M. De Claris Archigimnasii bononiensis Professoribus a saeculo XI usque ad saeculum 
xiv 2 ° , ris t. Bologna 1888/1889 
4. Leclerq HL. Histoire des Conciles, Paris 1913, L.lV, P.2, pag.1108 
5. Sorbelli A. Storia dell'Universita di Bologna, Vol.1, Il Medio Evo Bologna 1940. 
6. Maragi M. La cultura medica Arabo !slamica nelle antiche scuole universitarie Bolognesi. Strenna 
Storica Bolognesi, Bologna 1987 
7. Forni GG. La chirurgia nello Studio di Bologna dalle origini a tutto il secolo XIV, Bologna 1948. 
8. Martinotti G. L'insegnamento dell'anatomia a Bologna prima del secolo XIX. Studie memorie per la 
storia dell'Universita di Bologna Vol. 2, Bologna 1911 
9. Gentili G. Il Collegio Ungarico - Illirico in Bologna. Estratto da: Strenna Storica Bolognese. XXXIX 
1989, Patron Editore Bologna. 
10. Gentili G. liber das Ilirisch-Ungarische Collegium in Bologna. ACTA Congressus Intemationalis XXIV 
historiae artis medicinae, Budapest 1976, 505-9. 
Paolo Morani, MD, projessor oj dermatology, Via Monari 3, 
40137 Bologna, Jtaly 
75