Laboratory of Bacteriology and Hygiene
Original title: Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Higiene
History of Funchal's Laboratory of Bacteriology and Hygiene, created in 1904 at the request of the Junta Geral and reorganised in 1939, with its successive directors.
It was created by the decree of 17 May 1904, at the request of the District General Council (Junta Geral) of this district, which was made responsible for setting it up and for its running costs. Its staff then consisted of a chief physician, a laboratory technician and an attendant; the demands of the service later made it necessary to enlarge the staff.
Its first director was Dr António Balbino do Rego, who was forced by the regrettable events in Funchal in January 1906 to give up the post, which he had held with great zeal and recognised competence. The laboratory technician Dr António Capelo then took over the post of director on an interim basis.
By the decree of 22 December 1939 the Laboratory’s service was reorganised. It was given a section for bacteriological and clinical analyses and another for chemical and technological analyses, and its staff was made up of a medical director and bacteriologist, an analytical chemist, a laboratory technician, an assistant technician and two laboratory assistants.
The distinguished bacteriologist Dr Vicente Henriques de Gouveia, already well known for his remarkable laboratory work, was engaged as medical director in 1931 and permanently appointed to the post on 5 November 1940.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 05-
A decree created the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Hygiene in Funchal, whose director became António Balbino do Rego.
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During the bubonic plague episode a popular riot sacked the Funchal Lazaretto at Gonçalo Aires and freed its patients; the disturbances forced the bacteriology laboratory director Balbino do Rego to leave his post.
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Vicente Henriques de Gouveia was contracted as director of the Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Higiene.
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A decree reorganised the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Hygiene into bacteriological and chemical sections.
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Vicente Henriques de Gouveia was permanently appointed director of the Bacteriology and Hygiene Laboratory.
Place
Places mentioned · 01
- Funchal
Scene of the January 1906 disturbances.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
People
People mentioned · 03- António Balbino do Regob. 1874
First director of the laboratory, forced to leave the post after the events in Funchal of January 1906.
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Laboratory preparator who became acting director after Balbino do Rego's departure.
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Bacteriologist hired as director in 1931 and appointed permanently in 1940.