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Neonatal Research at the Archiospedale Santo Spirito in Rome
1Department of Neonatology, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
Insights
The Foundling Hospital of Rome, established in 1204, pioneered child protection and modern hospital care. Despite its extensive network and medical advancements, high infant mortality persisted due to hygiene and feeding issues.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Infant abandonment was a Roman tradition, leading to the establishment of foundling hospitals in Italy to prevent infanticides.
- The Foundling Hospital of Rome, founded in 1204 within Santo Spirito Church, became a model for child protection and modern hospital care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the historical development and impact of the Foundling Hospital of Rome.
- To highlight the hospital's role in child welfare, medical advancements, and its long-standing operation.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of records pertaining to the Foundling Hospital of Rome and the Order of the Holy Spirit.
- Review of medical contributions by physicians associated with the hospital.
Main Results:
- The Order of the Holy Spirit managed a network of nurseries, offering services to unmarried mothers and utilizing a "ruota" (baby hatch) for anonymous infant admission.
- Physicians associated with the hospital made significant contributions to anatomy and surgery, including descriptions of fetal circulation and treatments for congenital malformations.
- Despite 700+ years of operation, substantial funding, and regulated care, the hospital experienced high early mortality (around 70%) attributed to poor hygiene and artificial nutrition.
Conclusions:
- The Foundling Hospital of Rome played a crucial role in infant protection and medical progress for centuries.
- The institution's longevity was significantly influenced by its strong connections with the Vatican.
- Early infant mortality remained a persistent challenge, underscoring issues in hospital care, sanitation, and infant nutrition during the period.
Abstract:
Abandoning infants was a heritage of the Roman Empire. Foundling hospitals were established in Italy earlier and in greater number than in other countries; their goal was to prevent infanticides. The Foundling Hospital in Rome, established in the Santo Spirito Church in 1204, paved the way toward modern hospital care and child protection. The Order of the Holy Spirit was appointed by Pope Innocent III to care for foundlings, and set up a network of infant nurseries all over Europe. Poor unmarried pregnant women received obstetric services free of charge. Infants were admitted anonymously by the ruota, a baby hatch or turning wheel. The Order's rule regulated infants' admission, care, nutrition by wet nurses, and boarding out to foster families in the countryside. Chief physicians of the Santo Spirito Hospital were often Sapienza University professors and/or personal physicians to the Popes. Among them were Realdo Colombo, Andrea Caesalpino, Giovanni Lancisi, Giuseppe Flajani, Domenico Morichini, and Tommaso Prelà. They made major scientific progress in anatomy and surgery: descriptions of the pulmonary blood transit, embryonic formation, fetal circulation, malaria transmission from mosquitos, and surgery for congenital malformations such as hydrocephalus, anal atresia, and cleft lip. Per year, 800-1,000 exposed infants were admitted. Despite sufficient funding and meticulous regulation of care and nutrition, mortality in the hospital during the first month of life was around 70%; the causes were neglected surveillance, cleanliness, and artificial nutrition. The institution persisted for more than 700 years due to numerous connections with the Vatican.
