The name Mina Minovici is synonymous with the beginnings of Romanian forensic medicine, and his contributions remain fundamental to this field. Yet few people know the details of his professional journey, the difficult path he took to become one of the most important doctors of his time.

Childhood and the making of an exceptional destiny

He was born on April 30, 1858, in Brăila, into an Aromanian family. Although he came from modest origins, his desire to learn and his perseverance shaped his destiny. After attending primary school in his hometown, he was forced to drop out of secondary school because of his family’s financial difficulties. This obstacle did not stop him; on the contrary, it pushed him toward a path that would define his future.

In 1874 he enrolled at the Higher School of Pharmacy, founded in 1855 by the great reformer of Romanian medicine, Doctor Carol Davila. Here, young Minovici followed both theoretical courses and long practical internships. 

For three years he worked as an internal scholar, then completed a two-year internship at the Petuzalis Pharmacy in Brăila. In 1878, at just 20 years old, he obtained his pharmacy assistant certificate, a first major step in his career.

A year later, under the guidance of Carol Davila, he was appointed assistant for the chemistry course, and through a competition he obtained the position of pharmacist of the “Eforia of Civil Hospitals.” These experiences enabled him to continue his studies, and in 1881 he obtained his pharmacy license. However, Minovici’s aspirations went beyond this field.

Steps toward medicine and specialization in Paris

Drawn to medical sciences, he enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine, combining university courses with research work in the laboratory of the National School of Medicine and Pharmacy. His thirst for further training took him to Paris, where he spent three years specializing in toxicology and forensic medicine.

His Parisian experience was decisive. On June 7, 1888, he defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Étude medico-légale sur la mort subite à la suite de coups sur l’abdomen et le larynx” (“Medico-legal study on sudden death following blows to the abdomen and the larynx”).

The work was highly regarded and brought him international recognition, and that same year he was elected a member of the French Society of Forensic Medicine.

The intellectual discipline he gained in Paris would transform him into a pioneer of forensic medicine in Romania.

Returning home and the first scientific contributions

Back in Bucharest in 1890, he became the forensic doctor of the Ilfov Tribunal. Even earlier, in 1889, he had published a remarkable work: “Medico-legal diagnosis of wounds by examining clothes.” 

The study offered innovative methods for distinguishing between murder and suicide by analyzing the victim’s clothing in cases of gunshot or stabbing. This research was a world first and placed Minovici at the forefront of medical and juridical innovation.

His activity focused on clarifying controversial cases and developing scientific tools to ensure the correctness of justice. At a time when material evidence was often interpreted empirically, Minovici’s method brought a modern spirit based on rigor and experimentation.

The founding of the institute of forensic medicine

A historic moment took place on December 20, 1892, with the inauguration of the “City Morgue.” The event was attended by mayor Pache Protopopescu and the Minister of Justice, Alexandru Marghiloman. 

Six years later, in 1898, the institution was renamed the “Institute of Forensic Medicine,” reorganized by Mina Minovici.

The institute was ultramodern for its time. It had an autopsy room with eight tables, an amphitheater, rooms for practical work, a library, laboratories of pathological anatomy, criminalistics, and forensic photography, as well as a museum created by Minovici himself. 

All these facilities made the institute unique in Southeastern Europe and placed Romania on the international map of forensic medicine.

Through Law no. 149/1930, Mina Minovici was appointed lifetime director of the “Forensic Medicine Institute Professor Dr. Mina Minovici,” a recognition of his exceptional merits and his role as founder.

Academic activity and scholarly contributions

From 1897, Minovici was a substitute professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest, at the chair of forensic medicine. At the same time, he expanded his sphere of activity, and in 1912 he was appointed Director General of the Sanitary Service, coordinating medical activity nationwide.

On June 15, 1919, he became dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Bucharest, a position he held three times between 1919 and 1930. During this period, he published a monumental work, the “Complete Treatise of Forensic Medicine,” in two volumes totaling 2,072 pages. Considered a reference work, the book was the result of a lifetime of observations, experiments, and reflections.

Through its rigor and comprehensiveness, the treatise became a benchmark for specialists both in Romania and abroad.

International recognition and final years

His prestige went far beyond Romania’s borders. In February 1932, he was elected a corresponding member of the French Academy of Medicine, on which occasion he was awarded the Legion of Honor in the rank of knight. This distinction underscored the international recognition of his work.

Sadly, the joy of consecration was soon followed by his end. Just a year after retirement, on April 25, 1933, Mina Minovici passed away at the age of 75.

His last wish was simple yet profound, characteristic of a modest man devoted to his profession: “Wherever I die, my body should be brought to the Forensic Institute, where I shall be placed in the chapel. The religious service will be performed by a single priest. There will be no mourning. No speeches. No flowers. No parade. I shall be taken to my vault in Bellu Cemetery with the automobile hearse. My wife, who has authority over my body, is asked not to break my last wish.”

Mina Minovici’s legacy

Today, Mina Minovici’s name remains inseparably linked to Romanian forensic medicine. The Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bucharest, which bears his name, is a prestigious institution recognized for its scientific and juridical activity.

Through his research, his university career, and his initiative to establish the institute, Minovici laid the foundations of a field indispensable to justice and public health. He was a visionary who understood that scientific progress must serve truth and justice.

His life, marked by tireless work and passion for knowledge, remains a lesson in perseverance and dedication. If Romanian forensic medicine today enjoys recognition, it is largely thanks to Mina Minovici, the pioneer who turned a dream into a lasting reality.

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