Ophthalmologist

The Most Noble Luigi Count Preziosi was born in Sliema and was the second son of Alfred, 7th Count Preziosi, and Filomena née Bonici-Azopardi. He studied at Flores College and at the UM from where he graduated BSc (1907) and MD (1910). He proceeded to Oxford where, in 1920, he obtained a diploma in ophtalmology and also pursued further academic studies in Rome.

After obtaining experience in eye surgery at the ophthalmic clinic at Rome Polyclinic, Preziosi also obtained the most important UK qualification, the diploma in ophthalmology from the University of Oxford. Subsequently he was appointed assistant to the ophthalmic surgeon, Central Civil Hospital. In 1924 Preziosi was appointed professor of ophthalmology at the UM and ophthalmic surgeon at the Central Civic Hospital. He represented the faculty of medicine in the Council of the UM and as president of Camera Medica on several occasions.

During World War I, Preziosi was a medical officer in the RAMC and consultant to the Services. Between the two wars, and indeed for some years after 1943, Preziosi fought against trachoma, a virus disease which caused blindness to millions in underdeveloped countries.  Preziosi devised an operation to save the sight of many unfortunates. Its first description was published in 1924 and Preziosi had the opportunity to discuss it in various international ophthalmological congresses. The most important textbooks on ophthalmic surgery still describe it as ‘Preziosi’s Operation’. This operation and its modifications were proposed for discussion at the international congresses of ophthalmology in Amsterdam (1929), London (1950), and New York (1954). In 1957 he read a paper about this operation to the Irish Ophthalmological Society which was published in the Transactions of the Ophthalmological Society of the UK, vol. LXXII (1957).

Preziosi was also involved in politics. He was a member of Mgr. Panzavecchia’s UPM and of the PN, when these two merged. He represented the graduates in the Senate in the 1927 and 1932 legislatures and was president of the Senate in 1932.

When the National Assembly was convened at the end of World War II as a prelude to the granting of self-government in 1947, Preziosi was elected president. He retired from politics in 1949 and, for the rest of his life, devoted himself to ophthalmology, giving help to whoever sought it, up till a few days before his death.

After the death of his father, Preziosi inherited the nobiliary title, becoming the 8th Count Preziosi. He was elected member of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility and served as president of that body (1955-1965). In 1948 he was created knight bachelor with the title of ‘Sir’ and in 1956 knight of magistral grace of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

On 29 April 1920 Preziosi married the Noble Ludgarda Chapelle dei Baroni di San Giovanni, and they had three children: Franz (the 9th Count Preziosi), Victor Amadeus, and Lucia. His dedication and humanity were well attested by the crowds who flocked to his funeral to pay their last respects.

In 1970 a monument was erected to his memory in the Mall Gardens Floriana.

This biography is part of the collection created by Michael Schiavone over a 30-year period. Read more about Schiavone and his initiative here.