Medical tradition history

To my Grandfather
The Doctor Joseph Antoine ORABONA. " Who didn't receive patients to NOVELLA that the Sunday ".

To my Uncle
The Doctor Ange Toussaint ORABONA. " In to remember of the past Christmas evenings before the chimney of URTACA ", I dedicate these written pages in a feeling of fidelity to our medical traditions family's, and of love for the history of our region.


PIETRALBA, LAMA, URTACA, NOVELLA, these four villages formed the piève of the OSTRICONI once.
The island was cut up in piève by the government of GENE. These pièves were dismembered then by Pascal PAOLI.
In villages, life stays essentially pastoral. The regime of the free pasture subsists, evenings follow each other all along the year. There, transmit himself the old uses, tales, where plane sometimes the supernatural strength shade, family's histories, the social situation, economic, medical of the region.

DOCTORS

Of the medical view point, the first cares dispensed to the social ladder seem to be to the asset of the clergy.
- To NOVELLA
Antoine ORABONA is received " doctor in medicine " at the faculty of ROME November 16, 1819. He exerts functions of minor priest at the same time, his principles, his conduct, his professional capacities are " worthy of praises ".
But in 1824, in order to divert Corsica peoples of the peninsula, and to accelerate the process of gallicizing of the island, a medical jury meets to AJACCIO : it examines every practitioner's case - Antoine ORABONA gets the authorization to continue to exercise medicine " Il Giury no ha alcuna ristrazione sul nostro conto... Alle fine delle sue seduta una lista generale per qualli che si sono presentati e che sono ricevuti come officiali di Salute... e per qualli che hanno uno diploma d'una universita qualcunque dell' Italia'... possiano escercere libramente ed exiger da nostri abbonati il compenso delle nostri statutu ".
The administration organizes the nomination of health officers then. Officers of health learned their art to the thread of years. They often give cares to sides " u di medicu vecchu " and this last their demand to replace it. " Quandu li sentu u pulsu ".
- In 1842, LORENZO exercises his functions to PIETRALBA.
- Antoine Leonard MASSIANI of NOVELLA is received officer of health in MARSEILLE July 27, 1859.
He is the author of the famous " Viaghju in ASCU " .
He goes against townships of BELGODERE, PALASCA and LAMA.
- Don Felix MASSIANI is received " officer of health " in 1864. He goes against villages of NOVELLA, LAMA, PIETRALBA. He is "considered well".
The life of health officers is very hard, they exercise their profession like a ministration, whatever is the weather, they leave on foot or on horse.
Since their arrival in the village, where they have been called to reassure their own family, they have pulled strokes of guns .
The hard generation of health officers is replaced little by little in the village, by the one of doctors in medicine. These received during five years a theoretical and convenient teaching in faculty's city.
- Pierre Marie GRAZIANI is a surgeon to PIETRALBA in 1975.
- Pierre SATURNINI exercises medicine to LAMA since the 20 Vendemiaire.
- Sebastien BERTOLA is received doctor in medicine in 1802. he is the richest property owner of the region, he is at the same time Judge of peace, but he doesn't exercise medicine that for his friends.
- Jean Marie BONAVITA begins his studies of medicine in the university of PISA, and finishes them to MONTPELLIER in 1802. He receives the diploma of letter bachelor at the same time. He leaves his village of URTACA in 1831 to give back in South America to TRINIDAD, then in CARACAS where he gets the chair of surgery professor in the school of medicine. He writes a treaty " Researches on the ache of sea " published in 1842 to MONTPELLIER.
- Luc Jean ORABONA is promoted doctor in medicine May 17, 1860 at the faculty of MONTPELLIER. He serves on board of the war brig "THE GENIUS ". He finishes his career to TOULON with the rank of Physician Principal of the Marine, then he gets back in his native village.
- Antoine Joseph VENTURINI been born to URTACA in 1836, is promoted doctor in medicine at the faculty of ROME in 1865. He exercises in his village and move in a English cart driven by a boy of less than 20 years Jules Pierre RAFFALLI.
Priests, officers of health, doctors in medicine, nearly all are content to play an important role in their piève, where they are always very popular.

HONORARY

The honorary are versed in nature: oil, flour of chestnuts, wheat, the most often at the end of the year, according to possibilities of each.
Thus, some families give 2 bacini of wheat per year. Notaries fix the price for those that pay not to the year " Li medici e li chirurghi sono pagati all'anno, secondo possibilita da diversi abitanti, e secondo il credito che gade il professore ".
July 20, 1862, members of the Municipal Council vote a royalties of 5 cents by resident. This sum is destined to the treatment of a free physician for the indigent.
The sanitary state is precarious, and the number of the invalids is enough important .
In 1802: 2 blind, 1 cripple to NOVELLA
4 blind to URTACA
1 blind, 1 mute to LAMA
In 1876: 2 goitreux, 2 children deaf-mutes of birth to URTACA.
But one finds a hundred-year-old, Maria Maddalena AITELLI lives to URTACA in 1769, an another one lives to PIETRALBA in 1795, she is the Grandmother of the abbot Jean François GRIMALDI (1751 1834) historic note author on CORSICA (1789 - 1800).

HYGIENE

Hygiene is summary, a big part of the year, of the whole families living in paglaïas of the OSTRICONI.
The contamination is easy, and well often, these families are unfortunately, attacks by the tuberculosis, by illnesses of bacterial origin.
In spite of this state of thing, some sanitary rules seem to be followed with the biggest rigor. Maybe the population has you it to the mind, the epidemic of pestilence of 1348.
May 15, 1770, a terrifying news arrives until in the island, an epidemic of cholera rages in Provence. Immediately, residents of OSTRICONI take the decision to assure themselves, the protection of coasts. Each of townships designates 4 men to exercise a surveillance of the coastline.
- To LAMA, Laurent LEONI wins the national contest organized by the society against the abuse of tobacco. He treats the topic " Of the role of the teacher to fight tendencies of children to smoke ". During hours of school, he smoked in a big pipe, a herb to tobacco cultivated in his garden. This horrible odor was sufficient to disgust pupils of the desire to smoke until the end of their days. The process of dissuasion is very simple.
- In 1866, to the town hall of NOVELLA, a question is to the agenda " The imperious need, being connected to the salute public... the purchase of a bathtub in copper destiny to patients of the township ". The town council votes a sum of 120 francs for this acquirement.

THE MALARIA

Illnesses are numerous, various, often serious. The described symptoms are those of the hydatidose, of the fever of malts, of the tuberculosis, of coal.
The most murderous illness is the malaria also called " febbra terza a quarta ". residents of NOVELLA assign the malaria solely to the bad air and the bad water of OSTRICONI. The first signs of the ache they appear each year not regularly after the harvest of wheat " in piaghia ".
To URTACA, no one thinks that the presence of swamps of the " Cannuta " is to the origin of the ache. For the drainage of the pond is asked by the hygiene service of BASTIA, " for reason of healthiness ". After deliberation, the town council pronounces to the unanimity by a negative voting. " Waited that it never knew of swamps being reason of unhealthiness in this region. The small pond offers some real advantages by the fishing that one of it practical and that is in fact the use of an industry, consequently, the swamp must be preserved in the state where it always existed ".
In these medical observation notebooks, the doctor Luc Jean ORABONA makes mention of the treatment of the malaria. He writes " in a country, as feverish as NOVELLA, one very often uses a very expensive medication, the sulphate of quinine... The prefectorial administration made me address a small cash-box of medicines for paupers... medicines were in small quantity that they were exhausted... I propose to get fresh supplies in sulphate of quinine, but the administration, says me, miss means ".
The doctor Luc Jean ORABONA counsels cures of OREZZA water briskly.

The THERMALISME

The notion of thermalisme causes in the village of NOVELLA, a quick controversy between doctors. The doctor Luc Jean ORABONA claims that the waters of the " PADULA ", have some curative virtues. During this time, the doctor Antoine MASSIANI affirms that alone the waters of " aghia " have some beneficial properties.

SOME REMEDIES

The remoteness of the doctor, the situation of the sick sometimes encourages the population to make appeal to remedies of maids women. Of the remainder, the mayor of NOVELLA affirms " Ogni medico procura novo mezzo ma tutto di poco risultate ".
- Hypertension and the diabetes are treated by a decoction of wild olive tree leaves.
- Some drops of tepid oil attenuate pains of the otite.
- The gas of turpentine is used for the conjunctivitis. Warts disappear to the contact of the juice milky of the "erba di piazza ".
- To cut hairs of the sick, made fall the fever.
- Stings of scorpion are treated to PIETRALBA of a curious way. To save Pollu GASPARI that has just been pricked, one doesn't hesitate to introduce him in a hot oven close to place mezzana. An analogous process is used to LAMA " i insecti venemose e nocive a l'uomo si trova nella comune una specie d'aregno. Della morsicatura di questo animale si deriva un gran freddo, dolori inesprimabili, spasmi e convulsioni, l'immalado desiderando ardammente il calore e qualche cose di stimolente i paesani hanno uso di metterlo in un Porno caldo, e di dargli del vino con dell'aglio pesto. Con questo mezzo guariscono quasi tutte. Questi remedi quantunque stravaganti corrispondono all'indicazione, e si trovano d'accordo di principi di medicina, che professa, une de medici del nostro comune ".
With regard to the curse of smallpox, opinions vary. Some is only favorable to the inoculation. TO LAMA, it is counseled as soon as the declaration of the illness to keep the window of the bedroom of the sick opened winter as summer.
To LAMA, one even thinks that the measles is more dangerous the summer that the winter.
The surgery only inspires a limited confidence.
On the other hand, one believes firmly in the therapeutic value of the honey, hives are numerous in the valley and a big part of the honey is sent to the hospital of BASTIA.

HELP

Helps him everywhere is very big, parents and friends attend patients with the biggest solicitude. .
To URTACA, in the hamlet of the " TRICELLU ", five houses occupied by five different families communicate at the level between them " di e sutane ".
By this means of communication, residents without having to leave can keep vigil over patients.
Neighbors can bring meals, and the most often the incandescent embers.

BIRTH

To give life is a natural, normal, simple act.
The state of the future mom rarely inspires a lot of anxiety. It accomplishes without interruption a daily work. One of them to URTACA, don't hesitate to seize a " narpia " full of wheat that falls of a pulley.
The authorized doctor by the church to manage the sacrament of the baptism in cases of extreme emergency, surrenders to bedside " di a una dona in parto ". The mamones are there. One can have confidence, in these women.
Full of expertise, they even give to the new been born since the first hour of life, some spoons of sugary tepid wine.
The birth gives place to the general festivitieses " si fanno un presente secondu la loro forze tutti i fanciulli del villaggio accorono per avere la festa, chi si chiamo BRANCOLATA e si regalo loro defrutto della stagione (to LAMA).

MEDICO-MAGIC TRADITIONS

Against all illnesses, one also makes appeal to the médico-magic traditions. The belief in the bad eye and her conjuration seems to come from CHALDEE by the indirect manner of the Greek Orthodox church. The content of these prayers is held secret to NOVELLA, the occhiu transmits itself directly of mother to daughter the Christmas night to the first sound of bell.
To protect the family of the illness, one suspends every year in the room where one is held a herb picked before the sunrise the morning of the ascension. This plant pushes between old wall stones.
To heal illnesses of eyes, it is counseled to give back to a source near to NOVELLA. The church of this village possesses the Virgin's picture pouring some miraculous tears, a little of this water set down on the sick part immediately assures a complete recovery.
In the darkness of churches weakly illuminated by candles the ex-voto surround altars. The intercession of Notre Dame du Rosaire, of Saint Nicolas, of Saint Laurent de Saint Roch, nearby " God the Father " is decisive for the obtaining of the recovery.

These some pages are only a fast preview of the medical situation of the OSTRICONI during the last 2 centuries.

Other studies stay to make, the religious, literary, judicial view point. An important documentation exists.

The terrier's plan ordered by the royal edict of 1770, the questionnaire of the year X addressed to each township.

A civilization passed. Why not to interest to her ?


Write by Anne-Marie ORABONA (extract of the bulletin of the "U CHJASSU" association )