The Academy of Science of Bologna and the kidney

The Academy of Science of Bologna, founded in 1711, played an important rol e in the development of medicine, Receiving the heritage of Malpighi's and Morgagni's researches, the academy encouraged nephrological studies, which produced articles published in its journal, the Commentarii. Since the Comm entarii were widely distributed all over Europe, the nephrological research practiced in Bologna reached all the main academies of science, in a fruit ful circulation of knowledge. The paper presents the nephrological contribu tions to the Commentarii in the 18th century, thus introducing physicians, like Domenico Galeazzi and Luigi Galvani, who were both professors at the U niversity of Bologna and at the Academy of Science. In their work three mai n topics can be identified: uroscopy, anatomy of the kidney and renal patho logies.