Juan Max Boettner
Encyclopedia
Juan Max Boettner was a Paraguayan medical doctor and musical composer.
). While young he was sent to Germany to study in primary and secondary school. He studied medicine in the University of Jena, Hamburg
and later in Buenos Aires
, where he graduated in 1926.
In 1929 he moved to Asunci;on, with the intention of dedicating fully to his specially, “tuberculosis”, at the time that disease was a great problem, it affected a big part of the population, plus there were just a few drugs that could serve to treat it and the use of X-rays was still very restricted.
The campaign against the tuberculosis
had a great impulse with him in charge. In a beginning he was Director of the Tuberculosis Clinic. Later he was Director of the “Fight against Tuberculosis”, which with time became a department in the Public Health Ministry.
He was professor of the Faculty of Medicine of Asunción, teaching about Tuberculosis, until 1941.
Short time after arriving in Paraguay, Doctor Boettner published several valuable studies about medicine. In 1930 he published his work about “Evolution of Tuberculosis”, “Study of the Vertebral Spine”, “Congenital Malformations of the Respiratory System”, “Respiratory Pathology”, “Manual about Tuberculosis” in 1939, “Silicosis in Paraguay”, “Greek and Latin Etymology for Medical uses” in 1945.
In 1945 he inaugurated the “Sanatorio Bella Vista” (Hospital Bella Vista), built by his own impulse and destined to the medical attention of people with pulmonary diseases. In this institution many renowned specialist in thorax surgery were educated. Today it is an important hospital located in the Venezuela Street, in Asunción and it’s named “Hospital Juan Max Boettner”.
He was founder and the first president of the Paraguayan Circle of Medical Doctors.
When the War of Chaco
started he presented himself and offered his services to the country. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant and he took charge of the X-Ray Department in the Military Hospital of Asunción. He was also sent to Isla Poí, where he was promoted. Later he also served in the 2nd Body of the Army in Fortín Camacho, nowadays called Mariscal Estigarribia. In 1935 he became captain of the Health Department.
Justo Pastor Benítez, in 1947, recalls the names of Juan Max and Ricardo Boettner, both Medical Doctors as scientists of a new generation that stood out among others because of their work and the dedication to educate.
. His musical work was rich in motivation. Among others, he composed in 1957 “Himno Nacional”, “Danzas Tradicionales del Paraguay” and “Música y músicos del Paraguay” and one didactic play called “Cómo reconocer el estilo y el autor de una obra musical”; “Fantasía esclava”, “Sinfonía en Mi Menor”, “El alma del inca”, “Yrendague”, “Sinfonía Paraguaya” and “Canciones folklóricas paraguayas”.
He was married with Gilda Vierci.
Childhood and Youth
Boettner was the son of Alfred Boettner (German) and María Victoria Gautier (FrenchFrench people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
). While young he was sent to Germany to study in primary and secondary school. He studied medicine in the University of Jena, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
and later in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, where he graduated in 1926.
Medicine
He was a man with sharp mind and intense spiritual sensibility and that made him outstand in his professional life. He started to practice medicine as a professor of Infectious Diseases in the Faculty of Medicine in the Muñiz Hospital in Buenos Aires.In 1929 he moved to Asunci;on, with the intention of dedicating fully to his specially, “tuberculosis”, at the time that disease was a great problem, it affected a big part of the population, plus there were just a few drugs that could serve to treat it and the use of X-rays was still very restricted.
The campaign against the tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
had a great impulse with him in charge. In a beginning he was Director of the Tuberculosis Clinic. Later he was Director of the “Fight against Tuberculosis”, which with time became a department in the Public Health Ministry.
He was professor of the Faculty of Medicine of Asunción, teaching about Tuberculosis, until 1941.
Short time after arriving in Paraguay, Doctor Boettner published several valuable studies about medicine. In 1930 he published his work about “Evolution of Tuberculosis”, “Study of the Vertebral Spine”, “Congenital Malformations of the Respiratory System”, “Respiratory Pathology”, “Manual about Tuberculosis” in 1939, “Silicosis in Paraguay”, “Greek and Latin Etymology for Medical uses” in 1945.
In 1945 he inaugurated the “Sanatorio Bella Vista” (Hospital Bella Vista), built by his own impulse and destined to the medical attention of people with pulmonary diseases. In this institution many renowned specialist in thorax surgery were educated. Today it is an important hospital located in the Venezuela Street, in Asunción and it’s named “Hospital Juan Max Boettner”.
He was founder and the first president of the Paraguayan Circle of Medical Doctors.
When the War of Chaco
Chaco War
The Chaco War was fought between Bolivia and Paraguay over control of the northern part of the Gran Chaco region of South America, which was incorrectly thought to be rich in oil. It is also referred to as La Guerra de la Sed in literary circles for being fought in the semi-arid Chaco...
started he presented himself and offered his services to the country. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant and he took charge of the X-Ray Department in the Military Hospital of Asunción. He was also sent to Isla Poí, where he was promoted. Later he also served in the 2nd Body of the Army in Fortín Camacho, nowadays called Mariscal Estigarribia. In 1935 he became captain of the Health Department.
Justo Pastor Benítez, in 1947, recalls the names of Juan Max and Ricardo Boettner, both Medical Doctors as scientists of a new generation that stood out among others because of their work and the dedication to educate.
Music
His name acquired even more importance when his first musical arrangements were known. As a great piano player and composer he left many samples of his delicate interpretation of folkloric and also classical musicClassical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
. His musical work was rich in motivation. Among others, he composed in 1957 “Himno Nacional”, “Danzas Tradicionales del Paraguay” and “Música y músicos del Paraguay” and one didactic play called “Cómo reconocer el estilo y el autor de una obra musical”; “Fantasía esclava”, “Sinfonía en Mi Menor”, “El alma del inca”, “Yrendague”, “Sinfonía Paraguaya” and “Canciones folklóricas paraguayas”.
He was married with Gilda Vierci.