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known for seeking good advice, and always learn from history, we cannot
Cornaglia welcomes the top-level divine the future,” says Cornaglia.
recognition of the issue, but cautions “So, we can only stand back and
that even better advice is now see how our predecessors faced
needed, and from scientists. the same problems and try to face
“The role of a scientific society is similar problems by applying similar
always to remain independent from algorithms.” He notes that new
politicians—to be a partner where solutions are not needed if old ones
necessary to work for public health were successful, although “we must
but also to act as a critical voice”, he be prepared for the unknown but
urges. He cautions against scientists there is nothing that is completely
Marius Aursnes
and scientific societies acting as the unknown. History is always a great
mouthpieces of politicians. “The teacher of everything . . . and we have
ultimate goals of politicians and of a lot to learn.”
The University of Sassari, Sardinia, Italy
scientists are not always the same. So As a boy, Cornaglia became a
scientists and scientific societies must polymath, with an equal achievement
be totally independent of politics”, he in many subjects, but an especial he was fascinated by the personality
emphasises. passion for classics, literature, and and enthusiasm of his boss, “then I
Cornaglia has “always been music. At 18, when he got the highest learned to love microbiology”. But
fascinated by how infectious marks in his high-school leaving he continued his clinical work as
disease has been shaping the history examination in the whole country an intensivist, being fascinated by
and culture of the world and the and was given a national award, he the clinical aspects of microbiology
interconnection between human decided that medical school befitted rather than the laboratory and
history, activities and attitudes, his academic success, since the molecular work.
and the emergence of infectious medical school at the University of Finally, Cornaglia concludes he
disease”. Very close to his heart is Sassari, Sardinia, was prestigious. In is happy now “because I am doing
his idea for the International Day effect, he became a doctor by chance. a job in which I can truly express
of Fighting Infection on St George’s But the temporary loss of stopping myself”, and his life is a continuum,
Day (April 23). This symposium his broader study was great. “As soon from family life and his love of opera
of historical lectures on infectious as I opened the books I was appalled and collecting of CDs and DVDs
disease was developed to mark the when I saw formulas and things very to his varied work. He admits his
25th anniversary of ESCMID, and different from history and poetry. technical skills are not the best: “I
has allowed Cornaglia to combine I really cried”, he is not ashamed don’t feel I am one of the top doctors
his love of history and of clinical to recall. “But Sardinians are very or scientists”, and he acknowledges
microbiology. He describes the stubborn so even crying, I decided that he has too little time to spend
widespread appearance of St George to go ahead.” He did not want to with his family. But in his work
and his emblem, the red cross on a let himself or his family down, and with ESCMID he is able to express
white background, around Europe: gritted his teeth, getting maximum his personality “not only in terms
from the flag of England in the marks even though he hated the of personal skills, but in terms of
northwest to the icons of St George subject. meeting people, culture bridging,
in Georgia in the southeast. This Cornaglia admits he also stumbled and diplomacy”. He regrets the lack
emblem has strong links with health across microbiology, led by the of a humanistic model for medical
and sanitation, while the slaying of enthusiasm of the late Professor training, one that emphasises the
the dragon represents banishing a Giuseppe Satta, the young, energetic beauty of life and culture—“the
microbial threat. director of microbiology at the things we can’t live without”—rather
This year’s European Day of University of Cagliari, also in Sardinia, than technical skills. He urges young
Fighting Infection, on April 23, who conveyed “the beauty of doctors to do what he or she really
focuses on the history of infected microbiology” and a sense of the future likes to do in life. “I always thought
people in hospitals—how infected importance of the subject. Almost at of myself as a humanist and not a
people have been admitted to the end of training in anaesthesiology scientist, which of course has been
hospital and treated and how special and intensive care, Cornaglia followed heavily criticised by many. But I’m
hospitals (eg, fever hospitals) have his director to the University of happy this way.”
been developing for centuries to Cagliari, and remains much indebted
accommodate such people. “We can to him. At the beginning, he recalls, Kelly Morris