Eugenio Schwarz Tiene was the pioneer of the study of congenital metabolic disorders

Eugenio Schwarz Tiene was a key player in the field of Italian Paediatrics for over 30 years, dating back to 1946, when he became director of the Paediatrics Clinic at the University of Sassari and retired in 1976. During this period, he focused on developing the study of congenital metabolic disorders. At that time, very few types were known; subsequently, due to the introduction of new methods of diagnostic research, several thousand types were discovered. Also during this period, Eugenio Schwarz Tiene realised that scientific progress would require specialized training for specialist paediatricians. On this basis, he took charge of the organisation of the clinic in Milan, and, as a result, it was possible, after his retirement, to define a structure of Milanese clinics and hospitals in such a way as to create a series of paediatric centres, each with its own specialized direction. Thus the system currently in use in hospitals and universities can be traced to the one founded in Milan in 1976 by Tiene during his retirement.