Abstract

This paper aims to examine the relationship between public health and Italian legislation concerning higher education and proposes to reconstruct the history of a scientific institution. This para-government and para-university institution was deputed to the specialisation and professionalization of Italian healthcare personnel outside the lecture halls of the faculties of medicine and surgery in Italy: the Scuola di perfezionamento nell’igiene pubblica in Rome. Through the study of institutional sources, archive material and scientific texts, the present research allows us to shed light on the history of the institution. Under the command of the public health authority at the Interior Ministry, the institution had among, its aims, that of promoting – in accordance with the health law of 22 December 1888 (no. 5849) – the safeguard of national public hygiene and health.