Eugenio Morelli: a pioneer of pneumotherapy and his portable apparatus for artificial pneumothorax

Early in the 20th century, Eugenio Morelli was a key figure in Italian respiratory medicine. A student of Carlo Forlanini, he developed the field of pneumotherapy through physiological study, surgical innovation, and technological refinement. His most important discovery was the development of a portable apparatus for artificial pneumothorax, widely used during World War 1. The early 20th century was marked by an increase in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and major changes in the treatment of thoracopulmonary trauma. Artificial pneumothorax, introduced by Forlanini in the late 19th century, became a cornerstone therapy before the antibiotic era.