Dr Giulio Catani (1848-1921)

Carlo's brother, Dr Giulio Catani was born in 1848 and was a doctor at the St John of God Hospital in Florence. The website Associazione San Giovanni di Dio, provides a history of the Hospital - 

This hospital, on the street of Borgo Ognissanti dates back to the 14th century. In 1382, its founder Simone Vespucci dedicated the hospital. Its name, Santa Maria dell'Umiltà (of Humility), probably comes from the nearby convent of the same name. Vespucci, a merchant and silkmaker was also the first administrator and patron of the hospital, along with being the great uncle of the more famous Amerigo.

In 1400, the hospital passed from the Vespucci to the captains of Bigallo; the latter had been given charge of the supervision and management of small hospitals in the city and surrounding countryside. The Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God's involvement in this hospital's activity began on February 4th 1588 when Grand Duke Ferdinand I accorded possession of the hospital buildings and grounds to the brothers of Saint John of God. 

You can read more of the history here https://www.asgdd.it/antico-i.htm

Interior - St John of God Hospital in Florence, where Dr Catani was Superintendent.

https://www.asgdd.it/antico-i.htm

I found these reports of  Dr Catani's medical work in the Australian newspapers on Trove. The first one is from The Advocate, of October 31, 1891 (see here) and concerns the miraculous recovery of a patient. The treatment - Trepanning - involved drilling a hole in the patient's skull. 

ROME. OUR LADY OF POMPEII.
A correspondent (" F. K.") writes to the Weekly Register, under the heading "Our Lady of Pompeii" : -  A remarkable answer to the prayer of faith has been recently exhibited in the case of one of the English denizens of Florence, Mr. Campbell, a Catholic gentleman engaged in tuition, met just two years ago with a bad accident, by which he sustained a severe contusion of the skull, bringing on intense pain and paralysis. 

It was decided a few weeks since, as a last resource, to submit the patient to the operation of trepanning. When the decision of the surgeons was announced, Mr. Campbell's friends determined before the operation took place to make the matter a subject of special prayer; and, accordingly, a novena was observed, requesting the intercession of Our Lady of Pompeii. On the last day of the novena the patient was so bad that Dr. Baldwin said he must be trepanned at once. The next morning he awoke perfectly well as regards his head, and the doctors pronounced that the brain pressure was gone. The paralysis, however, remained as before; and Dr. Catani, the other physician in attendance, told Mrs. Campbell that there was absolutely no hope that her husband could recover the use of his limbs, and that he would always be paralytic.

In consequence, a second novena was addressed to the Virgin of Pompeii. No amendment (as in the former case) was observed at first, but on the tenth day Mr. Campbell arose from his bed, and walked, and jumped, and ran. On Monday (the 3rd of August) he walked up to Bellosguardo - a long ascent sufficient even to tire a person in health - and called upon a friend there.

The second report was published first in The Herald (see here) and then reprinted in the Kyneton Guardian, on November 11, 1915 (see here). As Carlo's son, Enrico, owned a farm at Kyneton, the report added this local connection.

Dr. G. Catani, formerly Superintendent of the Hospital of St. John of God, Florence, Italy, and a brother of Mr. C. Catani, Chief Engineer of the Public Works Department, and uncle of Lieut. Enrico Catani, of Kyneton, has been recalled from retirement to organise No. 2 Hospital, Florence, for the Red Cross Society, in order to provide for the reception of 60,000 wounded soldiers if necessary. Despite his 67 years, he has entered upon his task with zest. He has been given the rank of Lieut.-Colonel by the Italian Government. Some time before war broke out Dr. Catani treated King Ferdinand of Bulgaria for throat trouble, and received a decoration.

Dr Catani died on January 22, 1921 and a death notice was inserted in The Argus, of March 21, 1921 (see here) - CATANI - On the 22nd January, 1921, at Florence, Italy, Dr. Giulio Catani, brother of the late Carlo Catani, C.E., Melbourne, and uncle of Ettore, Vera, and Enid Catani, St Kilda.

There is one other mention of Dr Catani and this was in regard to the shortage of lanolin for Red Cross work in Italy during the War and Carlo's efforts to remedy this; I have written about this here.

There are photographs of the St John of God Hospital here   http://himetop.wikidot.com/san-giovanni-di-dio-s-hospital and here https://www.florenceinferno.com/torregalli-hospital/