La ca’ del medic’ di Pier Giorgio Manera

The house is situated in Via Roma 45 in the centre of Murazzano. It was built in 1934 by Dr. Pietro Odello, born in 1900, the general practitioner of Murazzano, Marsaglia and Igliano and was used as both his surgery and home.
At the end of World War II (1943-1945) it was occupied by both Partisans and German officers who kept the owners locked-up in a room on the first floor. As one can imagine it is a house that has seen many adventures as well as much fear. Over the last few years the house has been renovated and divided into small, furnished apartments.

Dr. Odello was mentioned in Beppe Fenoglio’s story “I discorsi sulle donne” – “Conversations about women” (included in the book “Stories about the countryside”),  which was set in the “Osteria di Placido” in Belvedere.

““…Dr. Odello was definitely a sly old fox” – observed Battista – “One would think that it was impossibile that a doctor could be such a sly old fox”. With his hand Carlo Taricco indicated that he should not be distracted and that the deck of cards should be left in his hands.
“ Now I cannot even remember how the discussion came about. I cannot even remember as so many years have past. Imagine, I retired in ’38. However, I remember the most important part of the conversation– i.e. what Dr Odello from Murazzano said about women from the Veneto region.”
“And what did he say?” – urged Benedetto.
Placido came back and stopped to listen too.
Taricco indicated that they should be patient. “Dr. Odello had more experience with women than we could ever dream of. Well, he told me this about women from the Veneto region. Do you remember Dr. Odello’s face? When he made a comment, or when he was listening to his patients – the rubbish that we told him, believing we were telling him who knows what serious or important things. He used to squeeze his eyes until they were like slits, and in those slits shone a sly light. And his jaw that filled up with loads of lines that seemed to crumble into his mouth.
“Ah, yes” said Demetrio, “Dr. Odello had a sly face”.”

If you want to know what Dr. Odello said about women from the Veneto region I suggest that you go and read Beppe Fenoglio’s story!

Even Luigi Barroero, another author from the Langhe region, descrive Dr. Odello in his story “’r medic Udel”:

“…esteemed and loved by all he trundled up the Langhe hills on his trap to bring solace to thousands of suffering people. Although he looked surly, he had a large heart and a child’s smile was enough to bring him close to tears. He is working in difficult times, helping people who are poor and deprived of most things, in a world where cures mostly consist of the ever present quinine and the very bitter “mistura Pacelli”. He managed with very few resources to save hundreds of human and animal lives: given that  he was already there, farmers often opened up their barns and stys….”