The proceedings of the conference held in Florence in 2016 give us a complete portrait of the fascinating figure of Carlo Morelli (1816 -1879). He was a physician and a reformer, but also the author of important publications, and the founder and the director of some scientific journals. Born in Campiglia Marittima (Livorno, Tuscany), he began his training as a physician at the hospital of Santa Maria Nuova in 1840, in 1874 he became the chief. The figure of Morelli is characterized by several interests and a strong reformist spirit, he stood out for his contribution in different human areas, from the education and healthcare to the prison one.