The Academy of Science of Bologna and the kidney

The Academy of Science of Bologna, founded in 1711, played an important role in the development of medicine. Receiving the heritage of Malpighi's and Morgagni's researches, the academy encouraged nephrological studies, which produced articles published in its journal, the Commentarii. Since the Commentarii were widely distributed all over Europe, the nephrological research practiced in Bologna reached all the main academies of science, in a fruitful circulation of knowledge. The paper presents the nephrological contributions to the Commentarii in the 18th century, thus introducing physicians, like Domenico Galeazzi and Luigi Galvani, who were both professors at the University of Bologna and at the Academy of Science. In their work three main topics can be identified: uroscopy, anatomy of the kidney and renal pathologies.