Rodrigues (Dr José Júlio) 1Birth, education and teaching career
Rodrigues (Dr José Júlio)
Original title: Rodrigues (Dr. José Julio)
Biography of José Júlio Rodrigues (1843–1893), a Funchal-born chemist, professor and inventor who pioneered scientific photography in Portugal and served as deputy for India and Funchal. He also promoted industries such as beet sugar and quinine.
1Birth, education and teaching career
Although some biographers give Goa as his birthplace, it is certain that he was born in Funchal on 8 May 1843. He was the son of Dr José Júlio Rodrigues, a native of Goa, who was then deputy crown prosecutor in this judicial district (comarca), and of Dona Teresa Cristina de Sá Bettencourt, a native of the parish (freguesia) of São Pedro (‘St Peter’) in this city of Funchal.
A man of study,’ says the Encyclopedia Portugueza, volume IX, ‘and one of the scientific luminaries of his time, he distinguished himself by extremely valuable works that earned him a well-deserved reputation and placed him in the front rank of the scholars of his generation. Having studied at the University of Coimbra (Universidade de Coimbra), where he graduated in mathematics, he was soon afterwards appointed teacher of the introductory course at the lyceum (state secondary school) of Lisbon. He was also professor of chemistry at the Polytechnic School (Escola Politécnica) and at the Industrial Institute of Lisbon, and president of the central market for agricultural produce, a commission from which he resigned when he withdrew to Brazil (1892).
He was one of the signatories and promoters, in Paris, of the 1875 agreement on international exchanges. He was the first in Portugal to carry out scientific photography of underground cavities (the lava tunnels of the island of Terceira), using magnesium light. On a scientific excursion to the Azores he also took nearly 500 snapshots, which form the most complete collection, from the technical photographic point of view, that exists of the islands of São Miguel and Terceira. He invented and improved a number of instruments for study and for technical and scientific work, and devised several new processes, for which he obtained patents in Portugal and abroad.
2Public work, industry and later life
‘He was entrusted with organising the Portuguese forensic chemistry service for the courts, a task he did not carry out owing to subsequent political circumstances. As a deputy to the Cortes (Portuguese parliament), first for India and then for Funchal, in the legislature of 1890 to 1892, he dealt with notable proficiency with technical education and practical and general education, industries, public development, customs tariffs, the working classes, etc. Among the works he organised we shall mention:
- experimental teaching of the physical and natural sciences at the Lisbon lyceum (state secondary school)
- the photographic section of the Directorate-General of Geodetic Works, considered a model of perfection
- the installation of the Portuguese section at the Paris exhibition of 1875 (geographical sciences)
- the chair of chemical technology at the Industrial and Commercial Institute of Lisbon
- practical teaching of mineral chemistry at the Lisbon Polytechnic School
- the mineral chemistry laboratory at the Lisbon Polytechnic School, considered one of the best of its kind
- the laboratory of the central market for agricultural produce, etc.’
Dr José Júlio Rodrigues sought to establish or encourage various industries in Portugal. He went so far as to organise a company with a capital of 2,500 contos (1 conto = 1,000,000 réis, from 1911 1,000 escudos) to attempt the manufacture of beet sugar in the country, and to set up a depot of chemical products and a factory of printing inks. He also devoted the greatest attention to the quinine industry and its derivatives, for which reason he made a journey to São Tomé in 1885, and to the use of the sweet potato for the manufacture of alcohol and the extraction of starch.
Dr José Júlio Rodrigues was in Madeira a little before 1890, when he gave a brilliant lecture at the Teatro D. Maria Pia, attended by the elite of Funchal society.
He was a member of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences, of the Geographical Society of the same city, of the Coimbra Institute, of the French Photographic Society, of the Society of Men of Letters of France, of the Franco-Spanish Society of the same country, etc., and he held the commandery of the Order of St James and the cross of the Legion of Honour. He died in Lisbon on 29 April 1893.
Among other publications by José Júlio Rodrigues, we shall mention the following:
- Estudos sobre as bases fundamentais dos novos pesos atómicos e suas relações physicas mais notáveis
- Curso elementar de sciencias physicas e naturais (with António Augusto de Aguiar)
- Breve noticia sobre a composição chimica das águas mineraes de Pedras Salgadas
- Breve noticia acerca d'uma nascente mineral em Traz-os-Montes
- Coisas Portuguesas (lectures)
- and O assucar portuguez de beterraba.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 06-
José Júlio Rodrigues was born in Funchal.
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Dr José Júlio Rodrigues signed and promoted the Paris agreement on international exchanges.
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Dr José Júlio Rodrigues travelled to São Tomé to study the quinine industry.
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José Maria Greenfield de Melo served as deputy for Madeira.
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Dr José Júlio Rodrigues resigned from the central agricultural market and left for Brazil.
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Dr José Júlio Rodrigues died in Lisbon.
Place
Places mentioned · 08
Abroad
- Funchal
Birthplace of the subject and constituency he represented as deputy.
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.
- Goa
India. Birthplace of his father, wrongly given by some as his own.
Goa, the seat of Portuguese government in India, was reached by the navigators João de Abreu in 1513 and António de Abreu in 1527. The Elucidário records that its diocese was made suffragan to the archdiocese of Funchal, and that Jaime Moniz represented it as a deputy.
- Lisbon
Portugal. Where he taught and died.
The Portuguese capital, seat of the Relação court and of the Misericórdia whose privileges and statutes were extended to Funchal. Henrique Franco de Sousa studied at its Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and Luiz José Baiardo moved there in 1821.
- São Miguel
Portugal. Azorean island he photographed.
An Azorean island discovered by Gonçalo Velho Cabral. Its captaincy was bought and governed by Rui Gonçalves da Câmara, son of Zargo. It was the birthplace of Brito Rebelo, and Frutuoso wrote his work there in 1590; its oranges are said to surpass Madeira's.
- São Pedro
Funchal. Home parish of his mother.
São Pedro is the most populous of Funchal's four urban parishes and the place where Zargo made the first settlement. The parish was created in 1566, suppressed in 1579 and restored in 1587. The Elucidário covers its clergy stipends, church building, chapels, notable institutions and boundaries.
- São Tomé
São Tomé and Príncipe. Visited in 1885 to study quinine.
São Tomé is an island abroad whose diocese was made suffragan to the see of Funchal. Tristão Vaz was exiled there, Dr José Júlio Rodrigues visited it in 1885 to study quinine, Dr Júlio Augusto Henriques made a scientific voyage there, and Dr Fernando Tolentino da Costa worked there as a physician.
- Teatro D. Maria Pia
Funchal. Funchal theatre where he lectured before 1890.
Funchal theatre opened in 1888, ending the Teatro Esperança's status as the only playhouse. It hosted lectures by Dr José Júlio Rodrigues and a dinner in honour of Mariano de Carvalho.
- Terceira
Portugal. Azorean island whose lava tunnels he photographed.
An Azorean island that served as the Liberal base where D. Pedro's expedition assembled and from which the force occupying Porto Santo came. Nicolau Pita was banished there, João Bettencourt de Vasconcellos was executed there and Acursio Garcia Ramos was born there.
People
People mentioned · 03- José Júlio Rodrigues1843–1893
Funchal-born chemist, professor and deputy, subject of this entry.
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Co-author with the subject of an elementary course in physical and natural sciences.
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Mother of the subject, native of São Pedro parish in Funchal.