The history of the Santo Spirito Hospital from 1870 to 1938

Abstract

The Santo Spirito Hospital, situated in Rabat, has a very long history dating back to 1372. Yet, it is a building that has received little attention and is very understudied, especially during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By making use of various primary sources derived from the archives, the building blocks required to create an account of how this Hospital operated from 1870 to 1938 are achieved. First, the hospital personnel, the various duties that were attached to their position and the rules they had to abide by are enquired into. Then, the patients and the situation in which they lived, as well as the types of diseases that were treated throughout the years, both of which happen to be the essence of a hospital, are delved into. Finally, the structure of the hospital is thoroughly analysed noting any improvements and changes that took place throughout the aforementioned period. In looking into these three main areas, the history of the Santo Spirito Hospital from 1870 to 1938 is written, giving an insight into the orderly and yet chaotic administration of the hospital and the experience of the patients that were confined within the structure of this Hospital. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my tutor, Professor John Chircop, for helping to identify the topic of this dissertation and for his feedback and guidance throughout the writing process. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the staff of the National Archives of Malta at Rabat for their continuous assistance and for guiding me through the material of the archives. My deepest gratitude goes to my family, my mother and father, Josephine and Norman, and my sister, Naomi, for all the love and support they have given me throughout my studies and in the process of writing this dissertation. I would also like to thank my boyfriend, Gabriel, for always being there for me.