Amico Bignami
Encyclopedia
Amico Bignami was an Italian
physician
and entomologist
He was born in Bologna
and graduated as a doctor in Rome
in 1882. In 1883, he became extraordinary professor of pathology
and in 1906, full-time professor at the University of Rome. In 1917, he became professor of medicine, a post he occupied until 1921. He was interested particularly in the pathology of the brain and discovered Marchiafava-Bignami disease
but it was research on malaria
which made him famous. He theorised, in 1896, that the mosquito can be the vector of the disease. To show this , he captured mosquitos in areas with high incidence of malaria and had them bite healhy people. But, like Ronald Ross (1857-1932), Bignami failed to bring certain proof. In the following year Ronald Ross
demonstrated the connection but only in birds. In 1898, Bignami, Giovanni Battista Grassi
, Antonio Dionisi and Giuseppe Bastianelli
's experiments succeeded. Bignami did not hesitate to be bitten himself and to contract the disease. The three scientists presented on November 28, 1898 the results of their observations to the Accademia dei Lincei
. Among his publications are Ricerche sull’anatomia patologica delle perniciose (1890), Sulle febbre malariche estivo-automnali(1892), La malaria e le zanzare (1899), La infezione malarica (1902) and with Grassi Ciclo evolutivo della semilune nell' Anopheles claviger (1899)
He died in Rome in 1919.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and entomologist
He was born in Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
and graduated as a doctor in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1882. In 1883, he became extraordinary professor of pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
and in 1906, full-time professor at the University of Rome. In 1917, he became professor of medicine, a post he occupied until 1921. He was interested particularly in the pathology of the brain and discovered Marchiafava-Bignami disease
Marchiafava-Bignami disease
Marchiafava-Bignami disease is a progressive neurological disease characterized by corpus callosum demyelination and necrosis and subsequent atrophy.-Eponym:...
but it was research on malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
which made him famous. He theorised, in 1896, that the mosquito can be the vector of the disease. To show this , he captured mosquitos in areas with high incidence of malaria and had them bite healhy people. But, like Ronald Ross (1857-1932), Bignami failed to bring certain proof. In the following year Ronald Ross
Ronald Ross
Sir Ronald Ross KCB FRS was a British doctor who received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his work on malaria. He was the first Indian-born person to win a Nobel Prize...
demonstrated the connection but only in birds. In 1898, Bignami, Giovanni Battista Grassi
Giovanni Battista Grassi
Giovanni Battista Grassi was an Italian zoologist, known for work demonstrating that mosquitos carry the malaria parasite Plasmodium in their digestive tract, on the embryological development of honey bees, on parasites, particularly the vine parasite phylloxera, migrations and metamorphosis in...
, Antonio Dionisi and Giuseppe Bastianelli
Giuseppe Bastianelli
Giuseppe Bastianelli was an Italian physician and zoologist who worked on malaria.Born in Rome, Bastianelli was initially interested in chemistry, physiology and neurology; subsequently he became interested in the study of malaria...
's experiments succeeded. Bignami did not hesitate to be bitten himself and to contract the disease. The three scientists presented on November 28, 1898 the results of their observations to the Accademia dei Lincei
Accademia dei Lincei
The Accademia dei Lincei, , is an Italian science academy, located at the Palazzo Corsini on the Via della Lungara in Rome, Italy....
. Among his publications are Ricerche sull’anatomia patologica delle perniciose (1890), Sulle febbre malariche estivo-automnali(1892), La malaria e le zanzare (1899), La infezione malarica (1902) and with Grassi Ciclo evolutivo della semilune nell' Anopheles claviger (1899)
He died in Rome in 1919.