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On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Italian physician, Domenico Morichini (1773-1836), this study aims to commemorate this illustrious figure, who made a great contribution to the history of dentistry through his discovery of the presence of fluoride in dental enamel. Starting from a chemical analysis of the components of the enamel and osseous part of a fossilised elephant tooth discovered in Rome in 1802, Morichini demonstrated the presence of high amounts of fluoride, not only in these remains, but also in samples of human teeth. The Italian doctor, a Professor of Chemistry at the Sapienza University of Rome, also affirmed the importance of his discovery from a clinical perspective, as it enabled a better understanding of the chemical composition of enamel, changes in which he saw as the cause of most dental diseases. Morichini was a talented clinician and scientist, who also made contributions in other medical-scientific fields, as one of the first to suggest the electromagnetic nature of solar radiation based on experiments that were replicated internationally.

Even if they were not described, work-related health problems of professional performers existed even in antiquity. Bernardino Ramazzini (1633–1714) was one of the first authors to describe health problems in this specific class of workers’ disorders in his renowned treatise “De Morbis Artificum Diatriba” (1700). Until the beginnings of the twentieth century, physicians mainly continued to study only voice disorders in singers, and then they started to be interested in disease of all musical performers, as demonstrated by the book “Die Berufskrankheiten der Musiker” (1926). His author, the German neurologist and musicologist Kurt Singer (1885–1944), first systematically described symptoms of musicians’ diseases and their treatment. Modernly, health problems of professional performers include voice and hearing disorders and musculoskeletal and psychological problems. Nowadays, the most common of these disorders of professional singers are vocal fatigue and muscle tension dysphonia or aphonia. Music-induced hearing loss was seen in up to 58% of classical musicians. In addition, permanent or temporary shifts of hearing thresholds, hyperacusis, loss of hearing sensitivity and tinnitus were observed among professional performers. Common musculoskeletal disorders of musicians include overuse problems, such as tendonitis and peripheral nerve entrapment syndromes, that typically affect the upper extremities, the neck, the back, and the facial musculature. These disorders can interfere with the ability to play the instrument, which could be career-ending for a professional musician. Music performance anxiety is one of the most frequently reported psychological disorders among professional performers, with an estimated prevalence rate between 15% and 25%. Finally, the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic on the internal organization of opera houses and the health of singers, dancers and musicians is discussed.

Operas may provide valuable information on the society of that time. In particular, they could unexpectedly give information on the evolution of meaning of the work, on the workers’ health conditions and on the progressive acknowledgment of work-related diseases in medical and popular opinion. Most of the Italian greatest opera composers had studied and worked in Milan. Hence, they had certainly been influenced by the frenetic and industrial activities of that city, one of the world major financial and business centres and the industrial capital of Italy. So, sounds and noises from the occupational environment could be surprisingly found in the melodies and music of their compositions. In this chapter, a selected anthology of five tracks from Italian operas is presented, testifying working conditions in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and disclosing some classical occupational diseases. The ‘Anvil Chorus’ in ‘Il Trovatore’ by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) allows us to analyse the relationship between singing, music and work. The final scene of Act 1 of ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) musically depicts the noisy work at the forge. ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ by Pietro Mascagni (1863–1945) contains praises of work, allowing us to reflect on the meaning of work in the nineteenth century. ‘La Fanciulla del West’ by Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) refers to some health problems among gold miners. At the beginnings of the twentieth century, occupational physicians started to study silicosis and ancylostomiasis in these workers. Homesickness is also reported in the opera by Puccini. Finally, ‘Pagliacci’ by Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857–1919) addresses the issue of psychological problems in professional performers on the stage.

Objectives: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Region of Lombardy in Italy and its Regional Emergency Service (Azienda Regionale Emergenza Urgenza [AREU]) created a dedicated 24/7 free phone service to help the Lombard population. After an invitation from their professional order, local midwives collaborated on the AREU project as volunteers to address the needs of women from antenatal to postnatal periods. The aim of this article was to explore the experiences of midwives who volunteered in the AREU project. Study design: This was a qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). Methods: The experiences of midwives volunteering in AREU (N = 59) were explored using audio diaries. Written diaries were also offered as an alternative. Data collection took place between March and April 2020. Midwives were provided with semistructured guidance that indicated the main areas of interest of the study. The diaries were thematically analysed following a temporal criterion; a final conceptual framework was created from emerging themes and subthemes. Results: The following five themes were identified: (1) choosing to join the volunteer project, (2) the day-to-day difficulties, (3) strategies to cope with the unexpected, (4) professional relationships and (5) reflecting on the personal experience. Conclusions: This is the first study to investigate the experiences of Italian midwives who volunteered in a public health project during a pandemic/epidemic. According to participants, taking part in the volunteer activities was informed by and impacted on both their professional and personal lives. Overall, the experiences of midwives who volunteered in AREU were positive and of humanitarian value. Providing midwifery services within a multidisciplinary team for the benefit of public health represented both a challenge and personal/professional enrichment.

The year 2023 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of Antonio Maria Valsalva (1666–1723). Valsalva was a leading physician across the 17th and 18th centuries, specifically for his focus on experimental physiology, the science dealing with the normal functioning of bodily organs as a basis for a better understanding of diseases, symptoms, and care. He used a top-down systematic approach typical of the Enlightenment, rather than a heuristic one (“trial-and-error”), which became feasible after the longlasting ban on dissecting human corpses was lifted. Valsalva’s main interest was exploring the complex structure of the human ear, to which he dedicated a specific treatise, De Aure Humana. He understood the issues inherent in the imbalance in pressure between the outer and inner ear and found ways to exploit it to get rid of purulent fluid by deliberately raising the inside pressure with his maneuver. Time was however not yet ripe to see the broader importance that the Valsalva maneuver would achieve, not just in otorhinolaryngology, but also in cardiology and other fields of medicine. Although Valsalva’s name is usually associated with his maneuver, his contributions to the history of medicine were broader: he discovered several anatomical parts (i.e., the sinuses of Valsalva), built the basis for the development of pathological anatomy, introduced advances in surgery, and promoted compassionate care of patients affected by mental diseases. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Antonio Maria Valsalva (1666–1723) was a pioneer in experimental physiology between the 17th and 18th centuries. The Valsalva maneuver is still a popular academic topic and has broad applications not only in physiology research, but also in the diagnosis and therapy of various diseases. The celebration of 300 years from his death could be a timely occasion to commemorate the scientific works of this illustrious scientist.

The aim of this paper is to describe the figure of the Italian uncompromising physician and poet Giovanni Rajberti (1805–1861), who was a strenuous opponent of non-scientific medical practices in Italy, including Animal Magnetism, Homeopathy and Hydropathy. In particular, he demonstrated the inconsistency of mesmerist practices in an exemplary yet less-known episode that involved the famous French writer Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850). Although his ideas hindered his career, Rajberti continued to criticize alternative practices, sustaining the value of true medicine and science against charlatans.

In 1911, the Danish physician Hans Christian Gram (1853–1938) sustained to have found signs of hyperthyroidism in a marble head of a Roman woman that he observed in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. It could be one of the first examples of a clinical diagnosis of an endocrine disease in an ancient statue.

This article describes the origin of the term “chauffeur fracture” used to indicate an oblique fracture of the radial styloid process with extension into the wrist joint. This kind of fracture was originally described by the British surgeon Jonathan Hutchinson in 1866. The invention of the automobile increased the incidence of this fracture among chauffeurs and cabdrivers. Indeed, at the beginning of the 20th century, motor vehicles were started by means of a crank-handle connected to the engine, which needed to be turned vigorously clockwise by hand. If the motor started unexpectedly, the crank-handle could jerk back violently and thereby cause a wrist injury due to sudden hyperextension. We retrospectively reviewed the literature and historical articles to better define the historical origins of an often-forgotten eponym. In 1904, the French surgeon Just Lucas-Championnière first evidenced the occupational origin of this fracture, so introducing the term “chauffeur fracture” to identify this injury.