Giuseppe Moscati
Encyclopedia
Saint Giuseppe Moscati was an Italian
doctor
, scientific
researcher, and university professor noted both for his pioneering work in biochemistry
and for his piety
. Moscati was canonized
by the Roman Catholic Church
in 1987; his feast day is November 16.
family which came from the village of Santa Lucia in Serino, near Avellino
. His father, Francesco, was well-known as a lawyer and magistrate in the area; his mother, Rosa De Luca dei Marchesi di Roseto, was of noble birth.
Moscati was born in Benevento in 1880; to commemorate his ties to the area, a marble statue has since been erected in the chapel of the Holy Sacrament in Benevento's cathedral
. He was baptized six days after his birth, and took his first Communion
at eight years old. Moscati moved with his family to Naples
in 1884, and would spend much of the rest of his life in the city. During this time his family would spend its summers in Avellino, and Giuseppe would see his father serve at the altar in the local chapel
of the Poor Clares whenever they attended Mass.
At the age of ten, he was confirmed into the Church, at which time his family met Bartolo Longo
and spent some time in the household of Caterina Volpicelli
. The latter was to become among his most important spiritual guides later in life.
ing in 1889, Moscati entered into the Liceo Vittorio Emmanuele in Naples, where among his professor
s was vulcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli
. In 1892 his brother, Alberto, received incurable head trauma
in a fall from a horse during his military service. Observing the care which Alberto received at home inspired in Giuseppe an interest in medicine, which he pursued after graduating from the Liceo in 1897; it was in the same year that his father died. Moscati received his doctorate
from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Naples in 1903. The subject of his thesis was hepatic urogenesis.
on April 8, 1906. One of the hospitals for which Moscati was responsible, at Torre del Greco
, was located a few miles from the volcano's crater. Many of its patients were elderly, and many were paralytics as well. Moscati oversaw the evacuation of the building, getting them all out just before the roof collapsed due to the ash. He sent a letter to the general director of the Neapolitan hospital service, insisting on thanking those who had helped in the evacuation, yet not mentioning his own name.
When cholera
broke out in Naples in 1911, Moscati was charged by the civic government with performing public health inspections, and with researching both the origins of the disease and the best ways to eradicate it. This he did quickly, presenting his suggestions to city officials. To his satisfaction, most of these ideas were put into practice by the time of his death. Also in 1911, Moscati became a member of the Royal Academy of Surgical Medicine, and received his doctorate in physiological chemistry
.
Besides his work as a researcher and as a doctor, Moscati was responsible for overseeing the directions of the local Institute of Anatomical Pathology
. In the institute's autopsy
room, he placed a crucifix
inscribed with Chapter 13, verse 14 of the Book of Hosea
, Ero mors tua, o mors (O death, I will be thy death). The doctor's mother died of diabetes in 1914; as a consequence, Moscati became one of the first Neopolitan doctors to experiment with insulin
in his treatment of the disease.
During World War I
, Moscati tried to enroll in the armed forces
, but was rejected; military authorities felt that he could better serve the country by treating the wounded
. His hospital was taken over by the military, and he himself visited close to 3,000 soldiers. In 1919, he was made director of one of the local men's schools; he also continued to teach. In 1922 Moscati was given a libera docenza in clinical medicine, which allowed him to teach at institutes of higher education
.
that morning, receiving Communion as he always did, and spent the remainder of the morning at the hospital. Upon returning home he busied himself with patients until around three, after which, feeling tired, he sat down in an armchair
in his office; soon after this, he died.
Moscati's body was initially buried in the cemetery
of Poggio Reale, but three years later was exhumed and reinterred in the church of Gesù Nuovo
. Today a marble stone marks his grave.
and practicing charity
in his daily work. He viewed his work as a way of alleviating suffering, not as a way of making profits, and would retire regularly for prayer
. He also attended Mass daily, and would sometimes use a patient's faith, as well as the sacraments, in his treatments. Moscati also refused to charge the poor for their treatment, and was known to sometimes send a patient home with a prescription and a 50-lire
note in an envelope.
It was claimed even before his death that Moscati was a miracle
-worker; some said that he could accurately diagnose and prescribe
for any patient
merely by hearing a list of his symptom
s, and that he was responsible for impossible cure
s. Reports of his good works continued well after his death, with further reports that he interceded in impossible cases. Consequently, he was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church on November 16, 1975, and was canonized on October 25, 1987. His canonization miracle involved the case of a young ironworker
dying of leukemia
. The young man's mother dreamed of a doctor wearing a white coat, who she identified as Moscati when shown a photograph. Not long after this, her son was cured and returned to work.
Moscati was the first modern doctor to be canonized; his feast day is November 16.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, scientific
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
researcher, and university professor noted both for his pioneering work in biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and for his piety
Piety
In spiritual terminology, piety is a virtue that can mean religious devotion, spirituality, or a combination of both. A common element in most conceptions of piety is humility.- Etymology :...
. Moscati was canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in 1987; his feast day is November 16.
Youth
Moscati was the seventh of nine children born to a noble BeneventeneBenevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
family which came from the village of Santa Lucia in Serino, near Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
. His father, Francesco, was well-known as a lawyer and magistrate in the area; his mother, Rosa De Luca dei Marchesi di Roseto, was of noble birth.
Moscati was born in Benevento in 1880; to commemorate his ties to the area, a marble statue has since been erected in the chapel of the Holy Sacrament in Benevento's cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. He was baptized six days after his birth, and took his first Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
at eight years old. Moscati moved with his family to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
in 1884, and would spend much of the rest of his life in the city. During this time his family would spend its summers in Avellino, and Giuseppe would see his father serve at the altar in the local chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
of the Poor Clares whenever they attended Mass.
At the age of ten, he was confirmed into the Church, at which time his family met Bartolo Longo
Bartolo Longo
Blessed Bartolo Longo was a Satanist priest who later repented and became a lay Dominican, dedicating his life to the Virgin Mary. He was eventually awarded a papal knighthood.-Early years:...
and spent some time in the household of Caterina Volpicelli
Caterina Volpicelli
Caterina Volpicelli was an Italian nun, foundress of the Congregation “Ancelle del Sacro Cuore di Gesù” . She was proclaimed Blessed by Joan Paul II in 2001 and Saint on April 26, 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI....
. The latter was to become among his most important spiritual guides later in life.
Studies
After finishing his elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
ing in 1889, Moscati entered into the Liceo Vittorio Emmanuele in Naples, where among his professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
s was vulcanologist Giuseppe Mercalli
Giuseppe Mercalli
Giuseppe Mercalli was an Italian volcanologist. He is best remembered today for his Mercalli scale for measuring earthquakes which is still used today.-Biography:...
. In 1892 his brother, Alberto, received incurable head trauma
Physical trauma
Trauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
in a fall from a horse during his military service. Observing the care which Alberto received at home inspired in Giuseppe an interest in medicine, which he pursued after graduating from the Liceo in 1897; it was in the same year that his father died. Moscati received his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Naples in 1903. The subject of his thesis was hepatic urogenesis.
Medical career
Immediately upon receiving his degree, Moscati joined the staff of the Ospedali Riuniti degli Incurabili, eventually becoming an administrator. During this time he continued to study, conducting medical research when not performing his duties at the hospital. Already recognized for his commitment to his duties, he won further recognition for his actions in the aftermath of the eruption of Mount VesuviusMount Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
on April 8, 1906. One of the hospitals for which Moscati was responsible, at Torre del Greco
Torre del Greco
-Main sights:*Roman archaeological remains, including the so-called "Villa Sora" , probably a property of the Flavians.*Monastery of the Zoccolanti, with a cloister housing 28 frescoed panels depicting the life of St...
, was located a few miles from the volcano's crater. Many of its patients were elderly, and many were paralytics as well. Moscati oversaw the evacuation of the building, getting them all out just before the roof collapsed due to the ash. He sent a letter to the general director of the Neapolitan hospital service, insisting on thanking those who had helped in the evacuation, yet not mentioning his own name.
When cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
broke out in Naples in 1911, Moscati was charged by the civic government with performing public health inspections, and with researching both the origins of the disease and the best ways to eradicate it. This he did quickly, presenting his suggestions to city officials. To his satisfaction, most of these ideas were put into practice by the time of his death. Also in 1911, Moscati became a member of the Royal Academy of Surgical Medicine, and received his doctorate in physiological chemistry
Physiological chemistry
Physiological chemistry is the chemistry of the organs and tissues of the body and of the various physiological processes incident to life. Physiological chemistry is essentially the precursor to modern biochemistry. In the nineteenth century, physiological chemistry dealt primarily with...
.
Besides his work as a researcher and as a doctor, Moscati was responsible for overseeing the directions of the local Institute of Anatomical Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
. In the institute's autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
room, he placed a crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
inscribed with Chapter 13, verse 14 of the Book of Hosea
Book of Hosea
The Book of Hosea is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It stands first in order among what are known as the twelve Minor Prophets.-Background and Content:...
, Ero mors tua, o mors (O death, I will be thy death). The doctor's mother died of diabetes in 1914; as a consequence, Moscati became one of the first Neopolitan doctors to experiment with insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
in his treatment of the disease.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Moscati tried to enroll in the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
, but was rejected; military authorities felt that he could better serve the country by treating the wounded
Wounded
Wounded may refer to:* The Wounded, a Dutch wave-rock band* "The Wounded" , a fourth season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation* "Wounded ", a song by the American rock band Third Eye Blind...
. His hospital was taken over by the military, and he himself visited close to 3,000 soldiers. In 1919, he was made director of one of the local men's schools; he also continued to teach. In 1922 Moscati was given a libera docenza in clinical medicine, which allowed him to teach at institutes of higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
.
Death
Moscati died in the afternoon of April 12, 1927. He had attended MassMass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
that morning, receiving Communion as he always did, and spent the remainder of the morning at the hospital. Upon returning home he busied himself with patients until around three, after which, feeling tired, he sat down in an armchair
Armchair
An armchair is a chair with arm rests.Armchair may also refer to:*Armchair nanotube, a carbon nanotube with chiral symmetry*Armchair, a sitting sex position*Armchair , a bus operator in London...
in his office; soon after this, he died.
Moscati's body was initially buried in the cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
of Poggio Reale, but three years later was exhumed and reinterred in the church of Gesù Nuovo
Gesù Nuovo
Gesù Nuovo is the name of a church and a square in Naples, Italy. They are located just outside the western boundary of the historic center of the city. The existence of the square is a consequence of the expansion of the city to the west beginning in the early 16th century under the rule of ...
. Today a marble stone marks his grave.
Faith
His scientific research notwithstanding, Moscati remained true to his faith his entire life, taking a vow of chastityChastity
Chastity refers to the sexual behavior of a man or woman acceptable to the moral standards and guidelines of a culture, civilization, or religion....
and practicing charity
Charity (practice)
The practice of charity means the voluntary giving of help to those in need who are not related to the giver.- Etymology :The word "charity" entered the English language through the Old French word "charité" which was derived from the Latin "caritas".Originally in Latin the word caritas meant...
in his daily work. He viewed his work as a way of alleviating suffering, not as a way of making profits, and would retire regularly for prayer
Prayer
Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...
. He also attended Mass daily, and would sometimes use a patient's faith, as well as the sacraments, in his treatments. Moscati also refused to charge the poor for their treatment, and was known to sometimes send a patient home with a prescription and a 50-lire
Lire
Lire is a French literary magazine covering both French and foreign literature. It was founded in 1975 by Jean-Louis Servan-Schreiber and Bernard Pivot.-External links:*...
note in an envelope.
It was claimed even before his death that Moscati was a miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
-worker; some said that he could accurately diagnose and prescribe
Medical prescription
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
for any patient
Patient
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
merely by hearing a list of his symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
s, and that he was responsible for impossible cure
Cure
A cure is a completely effective treatment for a disease.The Cure is an English rock band.Cure, or similar, may also refer to:-Film and television:* The Cure , a short film starring Charlie Chaplin...
s. Reports of his good works continued well after his death, with further reports that he interceded in impossible cases. Consequently, he was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church on November 16, 1975, and was canonized on October 25, 1987. His canonization miracle involved the case of a young ironworker
Ironworker
Ironworker is a class of machines that can shear, notch, and punch holes in steel plate. Ironworkers generate force using mechanical advantage or hydraulic systems. Modern systems use hydraulic rams powered by a heavy alternating current electric motor. High strength carbon steel blades and dies...
dying of leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. The young man's mother dreamed of a doctor wearing a white coat, who she identified as Moscati when shown a photograph. Not long after this, her son was cured and returned to work.
Moscati was the first modern doctor to be canonized; his feast day is November 16.