José António Marques

Who was José António Marques?

José António Marques, founder of the Portuguese Red Cross, was born in Lisbon on January 29, 1822, and died in the same city on November 8, 1884. He was the son of António Emídio Marques and Catarina d´Assunção Marques.

At 20, he finished his studies in medicine at the'Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Lisboa. In 1842, by a decree of August of the same year, he was nominated assistant-surgeon and assigned to the Batalhão de Caçadores nº 3'. He rose through several levels of the military, being, in 1851, promoted to the position of Squad Surgeon.

He distinguished himself, not only in his military life, where he played important roles on the Repartição de Saúde do Estado Maior General on the War Ministry, but equally as a journalist, having been one of the collaborators of a highly scientific publication, O Jornal dos Facultativos Militares. Escholiaste Médico, and on his civilian medical career.

He was the author of countless scientific works. His memoir, Aperçu historique de l'ophtalmie militaire portugaise, presented, in 1857, in the ophthalmology congress in Brussels, granted him the titles of Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Surgery from the University of Brussels.