Giuseppe Bianchini (1888-1973): the father of Italian forensic mycology

Authors

  • Davide Orsini University Museum System of Siena, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
  • Simone Di Piazza Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth Sciences Environment and Life (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Italy
  • Mirca Zotti Laboratory of Mycology, Department of Earth Sciences Environment and Life (DISTAV), University of Genoa, Italy
  • Mariano Martini Department of Health Science, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2531-7342/15508

Keywords:

Fungi, Moulds, Thanatology, Death chronology, history of medicine

Abstract

Giuseppe Bianchini trained within the Sienese School of Forensic Medicine and immediately distinguished himself for his innovative approach to the discipline, making very important use of biochemistry, haematology, histopathology, and physiology. During his long career as a scholar and professor of forensic medicine, an important part of his research was the study of the ‘biology of the corpse’, for which he was inspired by the presence of fungi on cadaveric material. Indeed, Bianchini considered the study of fungi, which was completely ignored at the time, to be of particular interest both in terms of the chemistry of the corpse and in determining the chronology of death. He was the first in Italy to attempt to identify and describe a mycological biota in the different states of decomposition of the corpse.

References

Archivio Università di Siena, fascicolo “Giuseppe Bianchini” n. 1387 (LB 24).

Barni M (1993) La lezione di Giuseppe Bianchini. In: Per una storia dell’insegnamento della Medicina Legale nell’Università di Siena (Vannozzi F ed). Tipografia Senese, Siena.

Bianchini G (1923) I miceti del cadavere umano. Atti dell’Accademia delle Scienze di Siena detta de’ Fisiocritici 9(15):173–205.

Bianchini G (1925) Applicazioni medico-legali della micologia cadaverica alla cronologia della morte. Atti dell’Accademia delle Scienze di Siena detta de’ Fisiocritici 9(17):253–258

Bianchini G (1929) Contributo pratico e sperimentale allo studio della fauna cadaverica. Atti dell’Accademia delle Scienze di Siena detta de’ Fisiocritici 10(4):97–106.

Cazzaniga A (1944) Programma di Medicina legale. Soc. ed. Cremona nuova, Cremona.

Ciferri R, Redaelli P, Domenici F (1943). La micoflora del cadavere umano. Atti dell’Istituto Botanico e Laboratorio Crittogamico di Pavia 3(2):94–134.

Ciferri R, Gonzalez-Fragoso R (1927) Hongos parásitos y saprofitos de la República Dominicana. Boletín de la Real Sociedad Española de Historia Natural, Biologica 27:267–280.

Dukik K, Sybren de Hoog G, Stielow BJ, Freeke J, Gerrits van den Ende B, Vicente VA, Menken SBJ, Ahmed SA (2020) Molecular and phenotypic characterization of Nannizzia (Arthrodermataceae). Mycopathologia 185:9–35. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11046-019-00336-9

Heim F (1893) L’Étude des champignons développés sur les cadavres pourrait-elle fournir des données utiles a la Médecine légale? Annales d’Hygiène publique et de Médecine légale 8(30):97–105.

Martini M, Orsini D (2022a) Achille Sclavo (1861–1930) and his innovative contributions to Italian preventive medicine and healthcare policy. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1369:107–116. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2021_673. Erratum in: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology 1369:131–133. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2022_714

Martini M, Orsini D (2022b) Achille Sclavo (1861-1930): a great 19th and 20th-century pioneer in the history of hygiene and public health. Journal of Medical Biography (published on-line). https://doi.org/10.1177/09677720221130736

Mazzarello P (2013) L’erba della regina. Storia di un decotto miracoloso. Bollati Beringhieri, Torino.

Mazzarello P (2010) Dalla Bulgaria all’Italia: la “cura bulgara” dell’encefalite letargica. Medicina nei Secoli, Arte e Scienza 22(1-3):553-584.

Nannizzi A (1938) La Belladonna (Atropa Belladonna L.) nella cura del parkinsonismo postencefalitico. Stabilimento tipografico ex Combattenti, Siena.

Nannizzi A (1926) Ricerche sui rapporti morfologici e biologici tra Gymnascaceae e Dermatomiceti. Annales Mycologici 24:85–129.

Nannizzi A (1927) Ricerche sull’origine saprofitica dei funghi delle tigne. Il Gymnoascus gypseum sp. N., forma ascofora del Sabouradites (Achorion) gypseum (Bodin) Ota et Langeron. Atti dell’Accademia delle Scienze di Siena detta de’ Fisiocritici 10(2):89–97.

Nannizzi A (1930) Sulla posizione sistematica dei Dermatomiceti. Atti dell’Istituto Botanico dell’Università di Pavia 2:130–110.

Orsini D, Martini M (2022) The history of vaccinology and hygiene through Achille Sclavo and the cultural patrimony conserved in the archives and museums: the key role of medical museology. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene 63(3):E476-E481. https://doi.org/10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2022.63.3.2622

Pollacci G, Nannizzi A (1922-1930) I miceti patogeni dell'uomo e degli animali, descritti, delineati e preparati per l'osservazione al microscopio, con notizie sopra i rimedi per combatterli. Tipografia S. Bernardino, Siena; L. Cappelli, Bologna.

Stockdale PM (1961) Nannizzia incurvata gen. nov., sp. nov., a perfect state of Microsporum gypseum (Bodin) Guiart et Grigorakis. Sabouraudia 1:41–8.

Downloads

Published

2022-11-28

How to Cite

Orsini, D., Di Piazza, S., Zotti, M., & Martini, M. (2022). Giuseppe Bianchini (1888-1973): the father of Italian forensic mycology. Italian Journal of Mycology, 51(1), 66–74. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2531-7342/15508

Issue

Vol. 51 (2022)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2022 Davide Orsini, Simone Di Piazza, Mirca Zotti, Mariano Martini

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.