Joseph Galea 

Professor of Forensic Medicine

Born: Qormi, 18/07/1901; died: 26/03/1978. Education: Archbishop’s Seminary [1914-17]; St. Aloysius College [1918-20]; University of Malta [1921-28]; proceeded to London and specialised in public health. Qualifications: Ph.C. [Malta, 1925]; M.D. [Malta, 1928]; D.P.H. [R.C.P.S., London, 1932]; F.R.S.H. [U.K.]. Career: Government Health Service – Resident Medical Officer [1928-30]; Quarantine Medical Officer [1932-37]; Medical Officer of Public Health [1937-47]; Senior Health Officer [1949-51]; Chief Government Medical Officer & Superintendent of Public Health [1951-1961]. University of Malta – Lecturer in Forensic Medicine [1949-55]; Professor of Forensic Medicine [1955-61]. Lectured in Faculty of Arts [1966]. Achievements: His contributions were mainly in the literary field writing a series of novels, essays, historical works, and translations; awarded the Guze` Muscat Azzopardi gold medal. Also authored a number of medical reports and papers. Member of a number of professional associations in Malta and overseas, including Royal Society of Health [Malta Branch], Royal Society of Health, Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene, Medico-Legal Society of London, and Academie Internationale de Medicine Legale et Sociale [Belgium]. Also served on a number of Boards and Committees including the Medical Board for the Mental Hospital, Executive Council of the M.M.D.N.A., Past Charity Commissioners, the Board of Prison Visitors, and the Malta Medical Council. In the literary field served as vice-President of the Malta Historical Society, the Antiquities Committee, Management Committee of the Royal Malta Library, and the Accademia tal-Malti [President 1942-73]. He was also an honorary member of various international societies including the Societe Academique d'Histoire Internationale de Paris (1935), the Association de les Amis de la France (1937) and the Istituto di Coltura Americana-Argentina (1947). Officer of the Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem; Knight of Grace SMOM, Cross of Merit OM; Knight of the Order of St. George. Awarded the Defence Medal, the Coronation Medal, the Papal Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontefice, and made Member of the British Empire [M.B.E.]
References: Galea, Professor Joseph. Malta Who’s Who 1965. A Biographical dictionary. Progress Press, Malta, 1965, p.127; C. Briffa: Galea, Guze. Maltese Biographies of the twentieth century (eds. Schiavone M.J., Scerri L.J.). PIN, Malta, 1997, p.291.