Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/10681
Title: The illnesses of Carlo di Ferdinando I de' Medici: a second opinion
Contributor(s): Weisz, George M  (author); Matucci-Cerinic, Marco (author); Albury, William R  (author); Lippi, Donatella (author)
Publication Date: 2012
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/10681
Abstract: Objectives: To offer a second opinion on the recently published retrospective diagnosis of Cardinal Carlo de' Medici (1596-1666), a prominent member of the grand ducal family then ruling Tuscany. Methods: Retrospective diagnosis of historical figures is difficult and at times controversial, even with modern technology. It is based on contemporaneous medical descriptions and historical reviews, inherited iconography, and rarely - as in the case of the Medici of Florence - skeletal assessment, completed with radiological, histological and even immunological studies. Modern clinical work is often complemented with a second opinion obtained from specialists in the relevant fields. It is this type of second opinion that our collaborative Australian and Italian team, comprised of an orthopaedic/spinal surgeon, a rheumatologist and two medical historians, now offers. Results: The authors concur with the first opinion's diagnosis of Klippel-Feil syndrome in Carlo de' Medici, but disagree with the diagnoses of tuberculosis (Pott's disease) and rheumatoid arthritis. We find evidence, instead, for a psoriatic-DISH arthropathy with involvement of Klippel-Feil syndrome. Conclusions: A psoriatic-DISH arthropathy, previously described by the present authors as the 'Medici syndrome', was commonly found in the males of the primary branch of the family. The diagnosis of this condition in Cardinal Carlo de' Medici represents its first identification in a male of the secondary (grand ducal) branch of the family.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, 30(1), p. 6-11
Publisher: Pacini Editore SpA
Place of Publication: Italy
ISSN: 1593-098X
0392-856X
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 210307 European History (excl British, Classical Greek and Roman)
220205 History and Philosophy of Medicine
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 430308 European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
500203 History and philosophy of medicine
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 970121 Expanding Knowledge in History and Archaeology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 280114 Expanding knowledge in Indigenous studies
280113 Expanding knowledge in history, heritage and archaeology
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Publisher/associated links: http://www.clinexprheumatol.org/abstract.asp?a=4705
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

Files in This Item:
2 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

1,102
checked on Jul 23, 2023
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.