The Ministry for Health is inviting the public to visit Palazzo Castellania in Merchants Street this  Saturday during Notte Bianca.

Works on Palazzo Castellania, which hosts both the ministry and its parliamentary secretariat, started in 1757 and were finished in 1760.  In 1895 the Department of Public Health was set up, and Palazzo Castellania was chosen as its headquarters.

The public will have the opportunity to view the main hall, which used to be a courtroom in the first years, as well as the intact laboratory where Sir Temi Żammit discovered the microrganism known as Brucellosis, often referred to as Maltese Fever.  In a ground breaking scientific discovery, Sir Żammit found out that the microrganism was present in fresh goat’s milk. This discovery indicated the need to pasteurise milk before consumption.

Guided tours will be offered on the hour, starting at 8pm, and will include a re-enactment of of a typical 1769 hearing of a court case entitled A Case in Castellania,  written by George Peresso, and directed by Manuel Cassar. 

Fire eaters and jugglers by Fireplay Malta and the University Junior College ensemble will entertain visitors while the Health Promotion Department will give tips related to healthy Mediterranean diets. Karmen Tedesco will give related practical cooking sessions at 8 and 9pm.