MINISTRI DEGLI INFERMI (CAMILLIANS, CAMILLINES, CROSS-BEARERS). — Clerics Regular founded by St CAMILLUS DE LELLIS (v.) in 1586. They wear the same cassock as other Clerics Regular, from whom they are distinguished by a red cloth cross on the chest. They are solemnly consecrated by a fourth vow to the spiritual and corporal care of the sick, even those who are contagious. They exercise this apostolate in public hospitals and sanatoria, in private homes, in their own clinics and surgeries, throughout Europe, America and the mission lands, with particular attention to lepers.
The history of the M. degli i., especially in Italy, coincides, between the 17th and 19th centuries, with that of the epidemics of plague, cholera, smallpox and the wars which devastated the Peninsula. In the epidemics, especially those of 1630 and 1656, the M. degli i. nearly became extinct, so great was the number of victims. The same occurred in the 19th century with the care of cholera patients. In wartime, beginning with the expedition of the papal army to Hungary against the Turks in 1595, the M. degli i., trained by the founder himself, organised the first aid for the wounded on the battlefields and in the immediate rear areas. Their daily work of apostolate in civil hospitals and private homes was even more laborious, both for spiritual and corporal care, inspired by the most enlightened charity.
Over the three and a half centuries of their existence, the M. degli i. have had only modest growth. For the whole of the first century (1586-1685) and up to about the middle of the second (c. 1760), the Order remained constantly at an average of about five hundred professed members, despite the frequent decimations by plague. From the French Revolution and the consequent religious suppressions in the various states, their numbers gradually dwindled to about two hundred professed members, but then quickly recovered at the end of last century and reached (in 1949) one thousand and thirty professed members, besides more than seven hundred aspirants and novices, with 90 houses and more than 125 residences.
The works of the M. degli i. have also multiplied, with spiritual care in 146 civil hospitals, sanatoria, leper asylums, preventoria and in 47 of their own clinics, sanatoria and hospitals. In 1949, the sick they assisted numbered 800,000. In the faithful and generous practice of charity, a good number of M. degli i. have attained the heights of holiness. Although so far none has received the honour of the altars except the founder, many others have deserved it, and their causes of beatification are in progress. Moreover, more than three hundred M. degli i. have sacrificed their lives with heroic charity in caring for plague, cholera and smallpox patients and for the wounded on the battlefields.
In the field of care, the M. degli i. make a notable contribution to the treatment of plague, cholera and leprosy patients, based on their own experience; in the social field with the organic development of hygienic and health works for different classes of the sick in surgical and medical clinics, seaside colonies, preventoria and surgeries; and finally in the moral-spiritual field with associations and organisations for nursing, professional, cultural and religious-ascetic assistance. They consequently possess a rich literature, both ancient and modern, on the technical, religious and moral problems of caring for the sick; and a periodical press in various languages for the culture, technical-moral-religious training of nurses, and for the comfort of the sick.
