Charles Savona-Ventura

Organizations and states have historically employed commemorative items to honour significant events in their history. These items have taken various forms that includes coins, jeton/medallions, medals, and stamps. Additionally, unique designs of decorative porcelain, pottery, and glassware have also been produced. These items have also served as effective tools for promoting fundraising efforts. The Order of Saint Lazarus was no exception to this movement. There have since been a significant number of commemorative medals and jeton/medallions issued over the subsequent decades. In addition, other commemorative items issued by various jurisdictions have included porcelain and pottery ware and philatelic items. All these serve as an important record of the history of the Order. An attempt has been made to collate a catalogue of the commemorative items which have been identified. It was felt that the time is ripe for bringing together the items in one catalogue for better reference.

Sancti Lazari Ordinis Academia Internationalis was set up with the objective of promoting the historical knowledge related to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and other Crusader and related Orders of Chivalry as this relates to the hierarchy, their components, their glorious traditions and ancient history, as well as their relations with the Roman Catholic Church and with other churches that profess the faith of Christ.

The Order of St Lazarus saw its origins as an establishment located outside the walls of Jerusalem serving the needs of victims of leprosy. While its role in society changed as a result of political machinations, it still retained a hospitaller role in the subsequent centuries. This role became more central after the re-organization necessitated by the 18th century French Revolution. In the words of Albert Einstein, it is essential that "If you want to know the future, look at the past." This book reviews the hospitaller activities of the Order throughout the twentieth century with particular emphasis in the last decade. The Order's past strongly reflects the importance of the hospitaller element in the Order's outlook. The hospitaller role has become the main relevant raison d' tre of the modern Order and the past achievements should stimulate future efforts to help relieve the suffering of the sick and needy wherever they may be.

Hansen's Disease or Leprosy is now considered "extinct" on the Maltese Islands with no cases being reported in the Maltese native population. While the infection is no longer considered endemic, vigilance is still required in the light of the present problem of irregular immigration from the African coast from regions where the disease is still prevalent. The road towards eridicating the infection from the Maltese community has been a long and often painful one. This work presents archival information about the historical development of the disease in the Maltese community, hopefully serving as an easily accessible source for researchers in the medical and social history relating to the disease within the Maltese commuinity.

Traditional medical practices vary from one country to another, these being very often dependent on the cultural history of that country or region. The accumulation of the medical armamentarium of traditional medicine is strongly influenced by religious-superstitious and observational elements. This was eventually, mainly after the Classical Period, tempered by philosophical-rational concepts that opened the way to scientific-based medicine based on a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of disease states. This work reviews the traditional medical practices of a Central Mediterranean island population whose geographical position made it an important meeting place for the various Mediterranean cultures throughout the ages merging and amalgamating European traditions with cultures derived from the Eastern Mediterranean lands and the Maghreb region of North Africa.

A Chivalric Order requires its members to dress appropriately according to the occasion and according to established current dress regulations defining the percieved unifom of the organization. The Order of Saint Lazarus throughout the ages has included provisions within its statutes to define what the dress code or "uniform" of its members should be. These statutory regulations reflected the percieved charisma or role of the Order within the society it was working in, ranging from enforcing a monkish-style habit for its members in the early centuries, becoming more gentry and eventually military in style as the role of the Order within society changed. The military style generally followed the military dress fashion of the time. This booklet aims to review the history of the development of the Order's dress code, uniforms, and insignia. It further defines the present-day dress regulations with simple instructions on what is appropriate wear in different circumstances.

The Sancti Lazari Ordinis Academia Internationalis was set up with the primary objective of promoting historical academic-based research related to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and other Crusader and related orders of chivalry as this relates to the hierarchy, their components, their glorious traditions and ancient history, as well as their relations with the Roman Catholic Church and with other churches that profess the faith of Christ. One method of encouraging academic research is to bring together interested academics in a forum whereby research is presented and critically discussed. This volume of the Acta Historiae Sancti Lazari Ordinis is the product of one such meeting of the International Academy. The Proceedings cover a wide spectrum of subjects encompassing the millennia.

The Order of Saint Lazarus saw its origins as an institution established outside the walls of Jerusalem to care for the victims of leprosy assuming the organization of a Crusader Monastic Order after the First Crusade of 1099. Little is known about its early administration except that the Jerusalem establishment de St Ladre des Mesisus was managed by a maistre who was dependent on the Patriarche de Jerusalem (presumably the newly established Latin Patriarch in 1099). The earliest information about the administration of the hospitalis infirmorum Sancti Lazari de Jerusalem dates from the early fourteenth century in the form of a manuscript Rule Book held at the Benedictine Nunnery at Seedorf in the Canton of Uri in modern-day Switzerland. This has sections outlining the regulations dating from the twelfth century (before 1187) while the Order was still established in the motherhouse in Jerusalem. Further regulations were promulgated for the local management of the nunnery in the early 15th century.

The publication includes several academic articles presented during the second International meeting of the Sancti Lazari Ordinis Academia Internationalis whose objective is to promote the historical knowledge related to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and other Crusader and related orders of chivalry as this relates to the hierarchy, their components, their glorious traditions and ancient history, as well as their relations with the Roman Catholic Church and with other churches that profess the faith of Christ.

The medicine of the ancient Egyptians is some of the oldest documented. From the beginnings of the civilization in the late fourth millennium BC until the Persian invasion of 525 BC, Egyptian medical practice went largely unchanged but was highly advanced for its time, including simple non-invasive surgery, setting of bones, dentistry, and an extensive set of pharmacopoeia. Egyptian medical thought influenced later traditions, including the Greeks. Until the 19th century, the main sources of information about ancient Egyptian medicine were writings from later in antiquity. The Greek historian Herodotus visited Egypt around 440 BC and wrote extensively of his observations of their medicinal practice. Pliny the Elder also wrote favourably of them in historical review. Hippocrates (the ""father of medicine""), Herophilos, Erasistratus and later Galen studied at the temple of Amenhotep, and acknowledged the contribution of ancient Egyptian medicine to Greek medicine.

Medical services have been associated with the military since the days of Ancient Greece. This relationship was essential not only in ensuring the front-line treatment of injuries sustained by soldiers but also to treat the diseases that accompany the disruption in the social circumstances brought on by warfare. The expectation of a military conflict requires the commanders in the field to draw up a military operation plan. This war plan varied according to the defined objectives, often being differently viewed by the combatants on either side of the conflict. There was in addition the aspect of using biological agents as weapons of warfare. There are numerous records of the use of biological weapons in antiquity. It is therefore not surprising that medical personnel played a very important role in battle plans and were generally highly regarded by the commanders and troops these medics serviced.

The publication includes several academic articles presented during the first International meeting of the Sancti Lazari Ordinis Academia Internationalis whose objective is to promote the historical knowledge related to the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, and other Crusader and related orders of chivalry as this relates to the hierarchy, their components, their glorious traditions and ancient history, as well as their relations with the Roman Catholic Church and with other churches that profess the faith of Christ.

This book is the final volume of a series of books by the same author covering the history of medicine in the Maltese Islands from the prehistoric age right through the modern period. This volume deals with the medical practice during the last two-hundred years, a period that saw the final phase of the emergence of the scientific basis of disease understanding and management. The Contemporary Period in the Maltese Islands saw its start with political upheaval resulting in the ousting of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John by the french, and the eventual ousting of the new rulers with the Islands falling within the dominion of the British Empire. The book looks at the efforts to re-establish and update public health legislation, review social welfare services, and medical education. It further reviews the history of various medical conditions and their management in the light of the new scientific advances.

The Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem was established in the aftermath of the First Crusade of 1098. It was subsequently organized into a military and hospitaller Order with several establishments in various European countries all subservient to a central house sited first in Jerusalem, then Acre, Boigny, Paris and Spain. The Order was led throughout the centuries by a series of masters or grand masters. It has also enjoyed a number of Royal and Spiritual Protectors.

The book is a dedicated account of the history of medicine practiced in Early Modern Malta when the Islands were managed by the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. The changing patterns of disease throughout the 16th to 18th centuries and the response to managing these conditions are reviewed. The nook further looks at the legislative efforts introduced to control disease, the educational endeavors undertaken to improve the standards of care, and the social welfare systems adopted to better the lives of the population.