Two epidemics in French occupied Valletta in 1798-1800

Abstract

General Bonaparte captured the Maltese Islands on the 10 June 1798 and drove away the Knights of St John. He took over their Holy Infirmary and turned it into an Hopital Militaire for his sick troops. Dr Claude Etienne Robert, was appointed Medecin-en-Chef in charge of medical cases and Jean Pierre Fauverge Chirurgien Major was made responsible for surgical patients. During the following two years Robert treated no less than three thousand medically sick troops; and Fauverge treated ninety-two surgical cases. There were besides a number of venereal patients, forty of whom died within three months (1). Two outstanding events marked the tenure of office of these two French practitioners - an epidemic of scurvy and an outbreak of infestation by intestinal worms.