A source for the history of medicine: the scientific library of Bartolo Nigrisoli

Bartolo Nigrisoli (1858-1948) was a surgeon and university professor from Ravenna, who spent most of his professional career in Bologna. Throughout his life he built a large medical book collection made up of international works, which is currently held by the Centre of Documentation for the History of Welfare and Health in Florence. The breadth of the collection and its specific chronological and disciplinary focuses make it a valuable source for the investigation of the history of medicine and surgery in Europe from the late XIX century to the 1930s, with particular reference to the areas of intestinal, orthopedic and war surgery. This paper aims to describe the main features of the collection and how they relate to Bartolo Nigrisoli’s personal and professional life