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Show THE DOCTOR ' HERO OF PERU, SOUTH AM. Story Of Brilliant Doctor Who Helped Shape The Politics And Soul Of A Nation By Pan American Union Washington Si.mcUracs a man is given to his country as an instrument to hr.-lp accomplish that country's destiny, born to it equipped with every faculty which may contribute contrib-ute to the progress and well-being of the nation. Hipolito Unanue was such a man and, by his life of continuous con-tinuous service to Peru, he fully deserves ' the title of "Father of His Country" which has been bestowed be-stowed upon him, together with that of "Father of American Medicine." Med-icine." ITe was born in Africa Aug. 13, 1755, of a Peruvian mother and a F.asque father. Destined to the priesLhood from an early age, Hipolito Hi-polito received his primary education educa-tion at the San Jeronimo Seminary in Arequipa, from where he went on the capital, Lima "to seek the advice and protection in finishing hiu udwiioa nf his uncle a respect ed in a great variety of subjects. Together with a group of other intellectually in-tellectually prominent men, he established es-tablished the "Society of Friends of the. Country" who started to publish the "Mercurio Poruano," a periodical for which he wrote "acute and pithy" articles on topics top-ics such as Peruvian archeology, geography and botany. Other important im-portant studies were made by him "The Climate of Lima" still being on common diseases of his country, coun-try, on its climatology, his book, considered a classic on the subject, sub-ject, and on the development and uses of vaccines which he was the first in Peru to promote. Every time and everywhere that there could be some public improvement, im-provement, that program could be achieved not only in the scientific field but in that of education, sociology soc-iology or politics, Unanue generously gener-ously and intelligently devoted himself to bringing about that improvement. im-provement. In 1811 he founded the San Fernando School of Medicine which is today San Marcos University's Uni-versity's Medical School, and there he introduced modern methods of teaching medicine. Several years before, he had helped found the Anatomical Amphitheatre, "an institution which indicated no little lit-tle progress in America and was an imitation of the Academy of Surgery established in France in about 1733." Appointed physician in chief of the Viceroyalty, Unanue was elected deputy from Arequipa to the Cortes of Cadiz and sailed for Spain in 1814 as representative representa-tive of his country to the central government. Two years later he was back in Lima and caught, so to speak, in the web of the political politi-cal and revolutionary agitation of the great little doctor "to urge the times. A document written by that Peruvians be given the same political rights as the Spanish so moved one of the patriots that he knelt down to sign it." Although convinced the best solution to the problem of his country would be a separation from Spain under a prince of Spanish dynasty, Unanue finally decided against this plan, embraced fully the cause of independence inde-pendence and "went over to General Gen-eral San Martin who had come from the south to liberate Peru." When independence was attained, "Unanue was made Secretary of the Treasury in the Republic that San Martin organized. An able statesman, he managed to balance the budget, interested himself in agriculture, in mining and in industry. At 70, he retired to his estates in the country, only to return to Lima to die peacefully peaceful-ly on July 15, 1883 after a life in which he had helped shape the soul of a nation. ed and admired priest: Father Pa-von." Pa-von." Recognizing that his nephew had no real religious vocation, this Intelligent man encouraged young Unanue to take up the study of medicine, there being at the time in Peru very few doctors of good standing and reputation. To support sup-port himself during the years that followed, the medical student became be-came tutor in one of the most distinguished dis-tinguished and fashionable households house-holds of Lima where he had the opportunity of coming in contact with the elite of the capital "among whom he was noted for his wit, vivacity, vi-vacity, refinement and charm of manners. Some of the friends made at this time helped him in his career ca-reer and he in turn became their beloved and renowned physician." After studying some under best doctors of his day, Hipolito graduated grad-uated brillinatly from medical college col-lege and set forth on a career which he was to ennoble by his extraordinary qualities as a man blue-eyed young doctor soon be-and be-and as a physician. The five-foot, came a familiar figure at the bedside bed-side of both rich and poor to whom he gave the best of his knowledge and of his kindness. A few years later, having proved to be "a great practitioner and surgeon and a superb su-perb teacher of medicine", he was appointed Professor of Anatomy at the University of San Marcos, and at the age or forty was considered con-sidered the foremost scientific man of Peru. Possessing a vast general gener-al knowledge, Unane was interest- |