Henriques (Dr Luiz)

Towards the end of the 18th century, a violent storm drove a Norwegian vessel onto the rocks of the coast, near the Pontinha (‘little point’). João de Carvalhal Esmeraldo, later Count of Carvalhal, arrived near the scene of the disaster. As he looked on at the sad plight of the poor castaways, his attention was caught by a child of about twelve, the cabin boy of the wrecked ship, whose engaging features, lively expression and intelligent, searching gaze aroused his keen interest and moved him to the tenderest compassion. The wealthy fidalgo (nobleman of the lesser nobility) took the child under his protection and, some years later, sent him to England to attend the University of Edinburgh. Having completed his medical studies, with the most brilliant results, he returned to Madeira, where he settled and raised a family, and he died in this city in 1845. He was Dr Luiz Henriques.

We do not know what led him to adopt a genuinely Portuguese name and abandon the one he had borne in his native country. Nevertheless, he was always regarded as a foreigner, and when he sought to hold public office he had to become a naturalised Portuguese citizen, which he did by decree of 22 December 1821.

Dr Luiz Henriques was an eminent physician and a most distinguished surgeon. He is said to have been the first to perform an extremely difficult surgical operation that only began to be carried out in London some time later, and we have been told that the case is described in several medical books written in English. We are also informed that he was the first physician on this island, and perhaps in Portugal, to use the then recent discovery of chloroform in surgical operations. That first operation was attended by our great statesman and diplomat the Count, later Duke, of Palmela, who happened to be in Funchal at the time.

When the Funchal Medical-Surgical School (Escola Médico-Cirúrgica do Funchal) was founded in 1837, Dr Luiz Henriques was appointed professor (lente) there and its first director. He held both posts until 1845, while also serving as chief surgeon of the Hospital of St Elizabeth of Portugal (Santa Isabel).

Dr Henriques took his own life in this city on 18 July 1845 by swallowing a large dose of opium, a drug he frequently abused.

His portrait in oils hung in the main hall of the Medical School. It had been presented to the institution by his great-grandson Dr Salvador Brun do Canto (see that entry), who was a member of parliament for this island.