Discover how the legendary Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi was saved from leg amputation thanks to a traditional Georgian remedy—Turmanidze Ointment.
A Hidden Chapter of Georgian-Italian History
In the 19th century, the remarkable healing power of Turmanidze Ointment, a traditional Georgian remedy, became known even in Italy. A fascinating legend links this powerful ointment to Giuseppe Garibaldi, the national hero of Italy.
This story was preserved and shared by Mikhail Tarkhnishvili, a Georgian Catholic priest and scholar who served in the Vatican and spent many years researching Georgian manuscripts and cultural heritage. In 1940, he was invited by Barbale Kipiani, guardian of the Daniani and Murat estates, to establish a Georgian Catholic monastery in Rome.
He purchased a monastery complex on Forlanini Hill, where he stored priceless Georgian cultural materials. Tarkhnishvili served as rector until the outbreak of World War II, when he was forcibly transferred to another monastery, Sanjerolano, by order of Pope Pius XII.
In his absence, the original monastery fell into disuse. Its ground floor was rented by an Italian apothecary—a man familiar with the healing reputation of Turmanidze Ointment. He even began claiming that his own medicines were prepared using Georgian recipes. It was he who told Tarkhnishvili the extraordinary legend about Garibaldi.
According to the story, Garibaldi suffered a severe leg injury. Although Italian and British surgeons removed the bullet, the wound failed to heal. Amputation seemed inevitable. At this critical moment, someone remembered the famed Georgian healer from the Turmanidze family, renowned for their potent herbal ointments.
Turmanidze was summoned. When he arrived, Garibaldi’s leg was beginning to decay. With great care, the healer treated the wound using his unique ointment. In a short time, the wound healed completely.
To express his gratitude, Garibaldi introduced Turmanidze to the public in grand fashion. He even chased down a wild horse, mounted it, and rode triumphantly before the people to show that he had fully recovered. The Italian crowd was overjoyed.
This remarkable story highlights the deep roots of Georgian traditional medicine and the historical legacy of the Turmanidze family—not only in Georgia, but across Europe.
Source:
Vasili Chachanidze, Portrait of Nikoloz Baratashvili, Nakaduli Publishing, 1974
