PHAR.MACISTS ()F, OLD (Co'lltinued)
CHEV. J. BORG, K.M., Ph.C., L.P., F.R.S.H., F.I.N.T. Pet.
46. Pharmacist Joseph Portelli from compatriot Reverend Professor Mi Valletta, who remained known for chael Xerri of Zebbug, Malta, the his illustrious sun Gavino-:PaJtrizio ringleader Of the ~~a1tese uprising (1795-1865) Professor of .Surgery a,gainst the French rule in 1798, and and Alnatomy at the University wtho, together with his friend Dr. (22.11.1822-1838). Michaelangelo Adriano from Sen 47. Pna:runacist Pascal Balzan of F'l.oria ,glea, were the very first to conspire na on 8th February 1764. He was 1an against Napoleon's rule here, were energetic bu·t foolish man: in De -on 3rd August 1798, unfortunately cember 1772 he took part, along reported to the foreign rulers by with the Prof-essor of :rnathematics the rogue Si:mdrt Bezzina and ilmpri Dr. i?hilip Zammit, iM.D. ( 1720-1796) soned, were however released on and the district medical officer of lOth August while their neighbours VallettajFloriana in a plot against of Vittoriosa were loudly feasting the rule of the Order. As he •was also their patron St. Lawrence, but soon a cleric in minor orders not f.or love again re-arrested on the next 26th of the Church but as an easy means November and shot on 20th Feb to escape punishment from the ruary 1799. It is thought that his :KJni:g·hts' civil authority, he remain arrest was the chief reason whi·ch ed free. Three years later he was plunged his bosom. friend, the said also one of the nine ecclesiastics .Reverend IMichael, heading into thf' who took part in the so-.called "Ris sacred struggle for liberation, as ing of the Priests" under Reverend has fonmerly done the saintly Gaetan IMannarino of 9th .se.ptem French national heroine Joan of ,Arc, ber 1775 at the t~me of Grand Mas alias the Maid of Orleans, against ter Flra Francis Ximenes de Taxada the English dominators Of the 0773-1775). Wi:th three other com northern pa.rt of her country on 8th panions he oocupied St. James Ca May 1429. Others say that he was valier, but was soon ta:ken captive, shot on 19th February 1799 because tortured at the "Castellania", put the French found a sword in the to death by strangling, decapitated house (cf. Peti·tion of Gomm.ission of and his head, along with tihose of Public ,property made on 20th Feb two other accomplices, placed on ruary 1799 by his brother Michael poles at top of said Cavalier. No angelo and his sister Mary-Antonia more accused were killed. (cf. Arch. to ihave share of the pharmacy No. 1190, Section 461/466 and Arch. which belonged to their father Law No. 1191, Section 69/83 of 29th Aug rence, al-ong with the other bro ust 1766 by the Medical Couneil thers Joseph and Benedict and about h~m). o.ther sister Anne. 48. Pharmacist Francis Pisani from 49. Mr. Gajetan Mallia already mention Senglea (1763-20.2.1799), who was ed a,t "j'' ill group at No.45). He was married to The:res1a, the niece of from VaHetta IWhere he rema:ned,
16 when he left the Pharmaceutical 53. Pharmacist Horace Aqu:Jina was in Service at the ":Sacra Infermeria" charge of the men's section dedicat after 39' years there in 1979, ::luring ed to St. John of the "St. John the the French occupation. It is recorded Baptist and St. Anthony of Padua that he was ,c'hosen by the Court, FDospital'' at Rrabat, Gozo during the a:<:>n,g with others, as one of the short-lived French occupation there ,tutors of th·3 4 sons c.f Giovanna, the and where he remained for sor:ne very r:ch widow of Lorenzo Fontani r::r:ore years on the subsequent Bri and rWho w.as found myster.ously tish rule. dead on lr5th December rl79'9, only 54. In the year 184:9 Government esta,b s:x months after her second mar lisrhed 17 Government Dispensaries riage to the French Carp.tain Antoine besides that at Valletta, at Police Gastinel (ref. Dr Clo Testa's "Maz Srtations to cater for the then 23 dis zew,g NaY1at tas-Swar", HI, pp.652- tricts Dr. Saviour Bezzina 6r&O). M!.D., Ph.C. from Zejtun was ap 5::l Pharmacist Louis Gatt of Valletta, pointed to Luqa and was also res who in July 179r9 was banished, along ponsible for the inhabitants of Safi with 1'50 others, to Comino when the and Kirkop. They were called "Spiz jar u Tabib tal-Pulizija" and were Fren~h forced people to leave Val letta rbe:::a,use of the scarcity of food intended for the use of the poor and the country.people did not want people free of any charge. On 18th September 1885 said officials were them because of the:1· francoph]e called District .Medical O:ffi0ers. tendences (cf. Dr Te;;ta's ibidem, 55. Pharma,cist Cakedon Balda.cchinu page 550). who qualirfied in 1854 and exercised 5'1. F'harmac:st Augustine Levanz:n his profession at Luqa. (1872-1955) who was als-o a Legal 55. Pharrma<~ist Jose,ph Mama (179,3- Procurator. He led a very exciting 1865), born of Maltese parents at life here and abr-oad. He edited a A:gosta near Syracuse in Sicily but semi-politic8J paper "In-Nahla" in who grew here in Malta at Birkir 1908, wherein in 1910 he published kara. He studied at the Government his very lengtrhy novel "Is-Sah:flar school in Valletta and at the Uni Falz,un", etc. He even frasted f-or 31 versity. He served as A,ssistant-:Che days in America in 1912 by taking mist during the pla,gue e:9idemic absolutely no food, rwhile advocating of 1813 at Lazzaretto and La.ter at the that fasting can cure any internal rCivil Hospital having forr.11erly ob disease "as cats do" he used to say. tained his diploma in 1819. He wa~' In 192? he returned to Malt.a but on even chosen Professor of Chemistry accotut of poli~ical troubl~s v:hi.l'h at the University when the eccentric he cr:~ated inv.olving himself in se Dr. Cleardo Naudi, M.rD. of Ghaxaq_, veral court libels, he again went who had even become a methodist abroad in 1928 and died aged 83 in of Wesley, died and was stoned by Montecarlo in 1955. He was an Es the people on his being carried to perantist. be buried and who had been Pro 512. Pharmarcist lVLarianus Agius was in fessor of Chemistry fmm June 1805 charge of the pha11macy at "Santa to 1834. Pharmacist iMrumo was a Spirito" Hospital in Rabat when the member of the ''A,ccademia Gioenia French took over our Islands on di Scienza Naturali" of Gatania. lOtih June 1798. member of the '"Cabir..etto di Storia 17 Naturale" of S'yracuse and me1mber Dispensary" in :R•apublic Street, V 18 ANEiR and which was excellent as 67. Pharmac:st Archangelo Agius an antiseptic against shaving irrita ( 1880-1964), still another Esperant tion and for juvenile erythematous ist, who wor,! 19 between the two World Wars, and Course of Pharmacy in Pharmacog died on 19th January, 1940. nosy and in Pharmacy with Phar 72. Pharmacist Ed!wal1d Refalo, son of maceutics from 1936 to his death on President of the superior Courts the 27th May 1949. Chief Justice Sir Michaelangelo, Kt, 78. Pharmacis,t F'rancis-Xavier Muscat C.B.E., B.A., LL.D. from Gozo ( 1876- of Hamrun, who was the Chief 1923) and father of the Hon. Dr. Phamnacist and Medical Store.keep IMichael Hefalo, l!L.D., M.P. of Slie er. at the Central Civil Hospital dur ma. He w'as employed as Analyst at in.g· the 1World W•ar II and 'Was pen the Customs DepartJment Labora sioned in 1949. He tried to enter po tory and died in 1941. litics on the side of t1he then Con 73. Pharrnacis·t Paul Farrugia, from stitutional Party but was not elect 1Senglea, father of Monsignor canon ed. Diad in 1952. Saviour, S.Th.D., J.,C.D., Ph.D. of 79. Pharmac'st Carmelo Vassallo from Mdina and of our fellow-pharmacist Zebbug, brother of Chevalier ,JoseY.)h Oaj et an. He had his pharmacy op O.B.E., K.M. and of our fellow posite the "Union Club", now the pharmacist Caesar. He was em National !Museum, Valletta, and was ployed at a private pharmacy in the chief optical glasses supplier of Floriana and then at the Central his time. Died on 18th October 1944. Civi.l Hospital Pharmacy in 1937 74. Pharmac:rs,t A:mante Mar,guerat and subsequently at the Customs from Hrumlf•Un, who was e1mployed at Departlment Lalboratory in August the Central Civil Hospital, Flori,ana, 1970. and then as Analyst at the Customs 80. Pharmacist John Mifsud of Sliema. Department Laboratory. He was also He managed his popular "Anglo a very .good stamp collector. Died in Maltese Dispensary" at the bottom 1944. end of Prince of Wales (Manwel 75. Pharrna::ist Joseph Eugenio (known Dimech) Road, near the Strand, as Gege') Serge. He was employed at ·Sliema. Died aged 78 years on 5th the Central Civil Hospital Pharma September :!.977. cy, tihen an Analyst at the Labora 81. Pharmacist Dorninic Caruana from tory of the Customs Department and Valletta, son of Vincent a.nd Aillnunz later during the World War II yea;rs ja1ta nee' Callus, lived at t'he begin at the pharmacy of the then im ning o.f our century, a.nd was brother provised St. Aloysius College Hospi of Mro Joseoh OHH0-11931) and of tal. He died a;ged 57 years in 1947. Ra.phael, L.P. 76. Pharmac:st Godfrey Serge, senior 82. rPharmac:st Carmelo Debono Vella brother of pharmacist Gege'. He was from Mell'eha, who remained re the Managing Apothecary of the m€mbered for having in 1932 corn Economical British Dispensary of posed the hymn of "La Vittorta" Rudolph Street, Sliema. He died Band C1ub for the occasion of its aged 61 years in 1948. silver ju'bilee and Which was musical 77. Pharmacist Gcdfrey La,ferla, M.P.S., ly arranged by this Band's Mro Wi.llie Attrd (1·932-1 94,8 and 19512,. W57). (cf. from Valletta. He had his British ·Central Plharm;a,cy near the Law Banda "La Vittoria" - Mellieha, 7'5 Sena, Mejju 1982). Courts in Republic Street, Valletta, He was one of the examiners in the (continued on page 23) 21 IN THE WARD (continued from page 21) 83. Pharmacist .Joseph Saydon, from The medicine trolley is wheeled from Zurrieq, procurator of "Our Lady of the ward clinic room to a convenient the Rosary" Confraternity, and who point in the ward from which the drugs was kill€d along •With 110 other per may be given out; in Wren and Victoria sons, when the sacristy of his Parish wards, distribution is from the clinic Church was destroyed by enemy room. Two nurses, at least, one of whom b:::Jmb on Thursday 23~·d July 19·42. can identify the patients, administer the 84. Pharmacist Carmelo Callus of Val medication. Ambulant patients are asked letta, who d:ed on 23rd July 1'9•58. H's to come to the trolley. The trolley is son Anthony M. was an M.RS.H., a placed in a position that will prevent Senior Health Inspector, was a fine patients having access to the drugs. In trade-unionist and did worik in Aus turn each patient's medication chart tralia; and died on j8.8.H}811. (Kardex) is checked. The patient's dra 85. Pharmacist Chevali€r Oscar Vella, wer is pulled from the trolley and the cor from Hamrun, who had his phar rect drug and dosage are withdrawn from macies at Hamrun and at Valley the drawer. The drawer is replaced in the Hoa1d - Birkirkara, as well as a trolley and the medication chart initialled. :pharmaceutical store and laboratory at Hamrun. He was also Demonstra In a recent article in the Pharmacy tor of Pharmaceutics at the Univer T;mes, the Director of Pharmacy Ser si.ty and a very assiduous member vices of the Union Memorial Hospital, and even President of the Marian so Baltimore, Maryland indicated clearly dality. He was made Knight ·Of the that the unit dose system in his hospital Papal Order of St Sylvestre on provided the pharmacy with much more 2.9.1972. He had a very respectable drug control than it previously had (Pel f8,mily of 5 sons and three daughters liss:er, N. 1978). The unit dose system amongst whom the first 'born was also helped to reduce medication errors th::J Reverend lSavior, teacher of as well as nursing time spent on drug science at the Archiepiscopal Se administration. m·nary. He died on 7.10.19\80. I end this study about our dead fel I think the study I carried out based low PHARMLI\.CIJ:!STS, whom we all be on a visit to a hospital utilising the unit lieve and pray that they all passed to a dose and a literature review on unit dose much better life with their Patron Saint medication distribution has convinced me in Heaven the Reverend Pharmacist to do my utmost in the years to come John Lombardi of IR10me who died in to see that the system is implemented in 1609, by recording that a Government our state hospitals. I am of the opinion dispensary for the use of poor sicik peo that the system should first be imple ple was first instituted at Valletta in 1833 mented in a psychiatric hospital like after a strong recommendation for that Mount Carmel Hospital. The reason lies purpose by lDr. Joihn Davy, then serving in the fact that long-stay hospitals have as Army Surgeon here and later prOfmot few changes in medication and this ed Ir:.specto.r General of the English would be financially more feasible. Military Hospitals. 'That much needed social service was greatly appreciated and the poor users of Malta and Gozo ran to it by their thousands. 23