Luis F. Alvarez
Encyclopedia
Luis Fernández Álvarez (April 1, 1853 – May 24, 1937) was a Spanish American
physician and researcher who practiced in both California
and Hawaii
.
Fernández (his middle name) was actually his principal surname (his father's surname). However he is nowadays better known by his mother's surname (since in the English-speaking world the last name is the principal surname, contrary to the naming system in Spain), and his American-born children got his last surname for that reason.
Álvarez was born in Salas, a small municipality near Oviedo
, Spain
. His father was Eugenio Fernández, who was in charge of the business and palace affairs in Madrid of don Francisco de Paula, one of the royal princes. He was orphaned at an early age; his mother died when he was three and his father at the age of seven. When he was 13, one of his brothers took him to Havana
where he secured a good education. He learned to speak English fluently.
In 1878, he married Clementina Schutze and in 1887 graduated from Cooper Medical College (now Stanford University
) with a medical degree. After practising in San Francisco, he traveled to Hawaii
as physician on the S.S. Australia. In Honolulu, he was asked by the government to stay and become a government physician. Álvarez quickly learned to speak the Hawaiian language
.
In 1895, Álvarez resigned his position in Waialua to prepare himself for work as Superintendent of a new experimental hospital for the treatment of leprosy which was to be established in Kalihi
, a suburb of Honolulu. In order to learn research bacteriology, Álvarez went — at his own expense — for six months of intensive study at Johns Hopkins University
.
On his return, he developed a method for the better diagnosis of macular leprosy. With a small mouse-tooth forceps he would lift up a little piece of skin, snip it off with scissors, grind it into a fluid in a small glass mortar, and then stain the fluid for Hansen's bacilli. This method or a modification of it has been used ever since. Álvarez developed a serum by injecting Hansen's bacilli into horses. He used this on a number of Hansen's disease patients with encouraging results.
Two of Álvarez's children would rise to national prominence: Mabel Alvarez
became a well-known artist and oil painter, and Walter C. Alvarez
became a noted physician.
His grandson and great-grandson have also become well known: Luis Walter Alvarez, a physicist
and Nobel Prize
winner; and Walter Alvarez
, Professor of Geology at the University of California
, Berkeley
.
Álvarez was a keen student of medicine throughout his entire life, and owned a large practice up until his death from pneumonia at the age of 84.
Spanish American
A Spanish American is a citizen or resident of the United States whose ancestors originate from the southwestern European nation of Spain. Spanish Americans are the earliest European American group, with a continuous presence since 1565.-Immigration waves:...
physician and researcher who practiced in both California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Fernández (his middle name) was actually his principal surname (his father's surname). However he is nowadays better known by his mother's surname (since in the English-speaking world the last name is the principal surname, contrary to the naming system in Spain), and his American-born children got his last surname for that reason.
Álvarez was born in Salas, a small municipality near Oviedo
Oviedo
Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. His father was Eugenio Fernández, who was in charge of the business and palace affairs in Madrid of don Francisco de Paula, one of the royal princes. He was orphaned at an early age; his mother died when he was three and his father at the age of seven. When he was 13, one of his brothers took him to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
where he secured a good education. He learned to speak English fluently.
In 1878, he married Clementina Schutze and in 1887 graduated from Cooper Medical College (now Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
) with a medical degree. After practising in San Francisco, he traveled to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as physician on the S.S. Australia. In Honolulu, he was asked by the government to stay and become a government physician. Álvarez quickly learned to speak the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
.
In 1895, Álvarez resigned his position in Waialua to prepare himself for work as Superintendent of a new experimental hospital for the treatment of leprosy which was to be established in Kalihi
Kalihi
thumb|300px|Historically, Kalihi was an [[ahupua'a|ahupuaʻa]], or area of land ruled by chief or king and managed by the members of the [[alii|alii]]Kalihi is a neighborhood community of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, United States...
, a suburb of Honolulu. In order to learn research bacteriology, Álvarez went — at his own expense — for six months of intensive study at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
.
On his return, he developed a method for the better diagnosis of macular leprosy. With a small mouse-tooth forceps he would lift up a little piece of skin, snip it off with scissors, grind it into a fluid in a small glass mortar, and then stain the fluid for Hansen's bacilli. This method or a modification of it has been used ever since. Álvarez developed a serum by injecting Hansen's bacilli into horses. He used this on a number of Hansen's disease patients with encouraging results.
Two of Álvarez's children would rise to national prominence: Mabel Alvarez
Mabel Alvarez
Mabel Alvarez was an American painter. Her works, often introspective and spiritual in nature, and her style is considered a contributing factor to the Southern California Modernism and California Impressionism movement..-Life:She was born to a prominent Spanish family who lived on the island of...
became a well-known artist and oil painter, and Walter C. Alvarez
Walter C. Alvarez
Walter Clement Alvarez was an American doctor of Spanish descent. He authored several dozen books on medicine, and wrote Introductions and Forewords for many others....
became a noted physician.
His grandson and great-grandson have also become well known: Luis Walter Alvarez, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner; and Walter Alvarez
Walter Alvarez
Walter Alvarez is a professor in the Earth and Planetary Science department at the University of California, Berkeley. He is most widely known for the theory that dinosaurs were killed by an asteroid impact, developed in collaboration with his father, Nobel Prize winning physicist Luis...
, Professor of Geology at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Álvarez was a keen student of medicine throughout his entire life, and owned a large practice up until his death from pneumonia at the age of 84.