[Mateo Orfila: a biography]

Abstract

Mateo J. B. Orfila, illustrious doctor and chemical, native of Mahon, where he was born April 24th, 1787 and he died in Paris March 12th, 1853, buried in this city in the cemetery of Montmartre. He studied Medicine and Chemistry in Valencia, Barcelona and Paris. Chemical expert, toxicologist and medical jurist, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Paris during 18 years, in which he made the great Educational Reformation of Medicine that deserves to take his name, model for many Universities of France, Germany, Denmark, Scandinavia, etc... and in certain way of Spain and Italy. It carried out the Chair of Chemistry and Legal Medicine in the Faculty of Medicine of Paris, he projected his teaching internationally toward the United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia and North America. It diffused the toxicological knowledge and legal, experimental and clinical doctor, elevating his scientific range at universal level with methodical original, innovative constat, creator of the Toxicological Science. Author of countless works and publications of Chemistry, Legal Medicine and Intoxications in diverse countries, "doctor honoris causa" of the most noted universities and academies. Creator of new Chairs, Museums and Centers of Investigation. For their works he received honors like chemist, toxicologist and medical jurist. Orfila was "glory" of Spain, country where he was born, and of France, where it developed intense and fruitful work, in which occupied the most important positions, among others, Academic of the Academy of Medicine of France and President of it.