Rafael Lucio Nájera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rafael Lucio Nájera
Rafael Lucio Nájera
Personal details
Born	2 September 1819 Xalapa, Veracruz Mexico
Died	30 May 1886 (66 years old) Mexico city Mexico
Profession	Medical and Scientific
Known for	Investigating leprosy

Rafael Lucio Nájera (born September 2, 1819 – died May 30, 1886) was a Mexican physician, teacher, and scientist. He was born in Xalapa-Enríquez, Veracruz. He spent many years studying a serious skin disease called leprosy.

Who Was Rafael Lucio Nájera?

His Early Life

Rafael Lucio Nájera was born in Xalapa, Veracruz. His father, Vicente Lucio, was a Spanish merchant. His mother, Gertrudis Nájera, came from a middle-class family.

Rafael's father died when he was young. He started school in Xalapa. Later, his mother married a doctor named Manuel Salas. The family then moved to San Luis Potosi. There, Rafael continued his studies. This is where he first became interested in medicine.

Becoming a Doctor

In 1838, Rafael enrolled in the Establishment of Medical Sciences in Mexico City. He was very good at his studies. In 1842, he became a doctor. He was only 24 years old.

Soon after, he became the Director of the San Lazaro Hospital in Mexico City. He worked there for 17 years. He was known for his hard work and kindness.

Studying Leprosy

While at San Lazaro Hospital, Dr. Lucio studied a common disease. It was known as Saint Lazarus illness or elephantiasis of the Greeks (leprosy). This disease caused red spots on the skin. These spots would later turn dark and become sores.

Dr. Rafael Lucio called this illness "spotted Leprosy". He carefully observed how it affected people.

In 1845, Dr. Lucio became a professor at the Faculty of Medicine. He later taught about legal medicine and internal diseases. In 1851, he shared his findings about leprosy with the National Academy of Medicine.

His research was very important. It helped other doctors, like Fernando Latapi and Jean Charles Faget, continue the work. A cure for leprosy was finally found in the 1940s. Because of his great work, a type of leprosy was named after him: Diffuse leprosy of Lucio and Latapí.

Traveling for Science

Dr. Lucio loved to learn. In 1855 and 1868, he traveled to Europe. He wanted to see the newest medical discoveries. When he returned, he shared what he learned. He especially helped improve surgery in Mexico. His ideas greatly advanced medical care in the country.

A Doctor to Presidents and Emperors

In 1870, Dr. Lucio helped care for President Benito Juarez at the National Palace. Years later, in 1872, he was there when President Juárez passed away. He, along with other doctors, signed the death certificate.

Dr. Lucio also treated Emperor Maximilian. The Emperor was very grateful for his care. He even gave Dr. Lucio a special award.

A Great Teacher and Kind Doctor

Dr. Rafael Lucio taught at the School of Medicine for many years. He was a wise and clear teacher. Students loved his kind and honest way of teaching. He was a true role model.

In his own medical practice, he was known for being very kind. He treated all his patients with equal care. It did not matter if they were rich or poor. He never turned anyone away.

Other doctors respected him greatly. They often asked for his advice on difficult cases. Dr. Rafael Lucio truly loved helping people. He gave comfort to everyone who needed it. In return, people loved and respected him.

His Final Years

Dr. Rafael Lucio Nájera died on May 30, 1886, in Mexico City. He was 66 years old. He was buried in the Tepeyac Pantheon.

To honor him, a statue was placed on the Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. Later, a street in Colonia Doctores was named after him. In his hometown of Xalapa, a main street, a neighborhood, and even a nearby town were named in his memory.

National Academy of Medicine of Mexico

Rafael Nájera helped start the National Academy of Medicine of Mexico in 1864. He worked with other important doctors like Miguel F. Jiménez and Gabino Barreda. They also helped create big medical centers in Mexico. Dr. Nájera was the president of this Academy twice, in 1869 and 1880.

His Writings

• The Booklet on St Lazarus illness or elephantiasis of the Greeks (1851): He wrote this with Dr. Ignacio Alvarado. It described "spotted Leprosy," which was a new discovery at the time. This type of leprosy is now called "diffuse leprosy of Lucio and Latapi".
• Brief History of Mexican painting in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries (1864): This book was about Mexican art.

See also

In Spanish: Rafael Lucio Nájera para niños

• Mycobacterium lepromatosis