The son of Colonel Severo José de Souza Lima and Nympha Symphronia de Araujo Lima, Agostinho José de Souza Lima was born on March 11, 1842, in the city of Cuiabá in the State of Mato Grosso.
He concluded his Bachelor’s in Medicine at the College of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro (now, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ) in 1864, upon submitting and defending a thesis titled “What is the Nature and Treatment of Cloudy or Chylous Urine?”.
It was also there that Dr. Souza Lima became a Full Professor of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, a position he held from 1877 to 1912, in addition to working as a Professor of Public Medicine at the Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law from 1902 to 1916.
Furthermore, the Mato Grosso-born was a staff member at the now discontinued Realengo-neighborhood Shooting Military School (Escola de Tiro), and later, was appointed as a Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Battalion of the National Guard, where he served as the Chief Surgeon of Police. In 1877, alongside his assistant Borges da Costa, Dr. Souza Lima took on the role of advisor to the police force, and two years later, began teaching a class on Forensic Thanatology at the city’s official morgue, enabling him to study the subject of death and its associated legal and medical problems very closely.
Starting in 1891, Legal Medicine classes became mandatory in law schools throughout the country; moreover, Dr. Souza Lima was dubbed the “Leader of Legal Medicine in Brazil” thanks to the pivotal role he played in providing scientific guidance on, and helping to introduce, forensic medicine in the country.
Voted to occupy a Full Member seat at the Imperial Academy of Medicine, now the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM), after submitting a dissertation titled “On the Cremation of Cadavers,” the doctor and scholar was sworn in on September 15, 1879, and following recommendations from several Academy Members, was chosen to join the select group of Honorary Members in April 1909. Moreover, Dr. Souza Lima served as President of the Imperial Academy of Medicine for the 1883-1889 term, and as President of the ANM during two tenures: 1896 to 1897, and 1900 to 1901. Finally, due to his long-lasting contributions to medicine, he was honored as the Patron of Chair Number 3
To further add to his remarkable resume, he led the then Municipal Department of Sanitation and Public Assistance, and in 1894, provided significant contributions to Brazilian medical literature with a number of remarkable papers. Some of the highlights include “Tratado de Psicologia” (“Treatise on Psychology”); “Manual de Química Legal” (“Handbook of Legal Chemistry”). and his masterpiece “Tratado de Medicina Legal” (“Treatise on Legal Medicine”), reproduced in numerous editions. Finally, Dr. Souza Lima was bestowed the title of Honorary President of the 1916-founded, and now terminated, Sociedade Eugênica (Eugenics Society) of São Paulo.
The acclaimed physician is additionally remembered through a street bearing his name in the neighborhood of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, established under law number 7 of May 26, 1902.
Dr. Agostinho de Souza Lima passed away on December 28, 1921, in the city of Petrópolis in the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Acad. Francisco Sampaio
Número acadêmico: 126
Cadeira: 03
Cadeira homenageado: 03
Membro: Titular
Secção: Medicina
Eleição: 15/09/1879
Posse: 15/09/1879
Sob a presidência: José Pereira Rego (Baron of Lavradio)
Falecimento: 28/12/1921
Número acadêmico: 126
Cadeira: 03
Cadeira homenageado: 03
Membro: Titular
Secção: Medicina
Eleição: 15/09/1879
Posse: 15/09/1879
Sob a presidência: José Pereira Rego (Baron of Lavradio)
Falecimento: 28/12/1921
The son of Colonel Severo José de Souza Lima and Nympha Symphronia de Araujo Lima, Agostinho José de Souza Lima was born on March 11, 1842, in the city of Cuiabá in the State of Mato Grosso.
He concluded his Bachelor’s in Medicine at the College of Medicine of Rio de Janeiro (now, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ) in 1864, upon submitting and defending a thesis titled “What is the Nature and Treatment of Cloudy or Chylous Urine?”.
It was also there that Dr. Souza Lima became a Full Professor of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, a position he held from 1877 to 1912, in addition to working as a Professor of Public Medicine at the Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law from 1902 to 1916.
Furthermore, the Mato Grosso-born was a staff member at the now discontinued Realengo-neighborhood Shooting Military School (Escola de Tiro), and later, was appointed as a Lieutenant Colonel of the 7th Battalion of the National Guard, where he served as the Chief Surgeon of Police. In 1877, alongside his assistant Borges da Costa, Dr. Souza Lima took on the role of advisor to the police force, and two years later, began teaching a class on Forensic Thanatology at the city’s official morgue, enabling him to study the subject of death and its associated legal and medical problems very closely.
Starting in 1891, Legal Medicine classes became mandatory in law schools throughout the country; moreover, Dr. Souza Lima was dubbed the “Leader of Legal Medicine in Brazil” thanks to the pivotal role he played in providing scientific guidance on, and helping to introduce, forensic medicine in the country.
Voted to occupy a Full Member seat at the Imperial Academy of Medicine, now the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM), after submitting a dissertation titled “On the Cremation of Cadavers,” the doctor and scholar was sworn in on September 15, 1879, and following recommendations from several Academy Members, was chosen to join the select group of Honorary Members in April 1909. Moreover, Dr. Souza Lima served as President of the Imperial Academy of Medicine for the 1883-1889 term, and as President of the ANM during two tenures: 1896 to 1897, and 1900 to 1901. Finally, due to his long-lasting contributions to medicine, he was honored as the Patron of Chair Number 3
To further add to his remarkable resume, he led the then Municipal Department of Sanitation and Public Assistance, and in 1894, provided significant contributions to Brazilian medical literature with a number of remarkable papers. Some of the highlights include “Tratado de Psicologia” (“Treatise on Psychology”); “Manual de Química Legal” (“Handbook of Legal Chemistry”). and his masterpiece “Tratado de Medicina Legal” (“Treatise on Legal Medicine”), reproduced in numerous editions. Finally, Dr. Souza Lima was bestowed the title of Honorary President of the 1916-founded, and now terminated, Sociedade Eugênica (Eugenics Society) of São Paulo.
The acclaimed physician is additionally remembered through a street bearing his name in the neighborhood of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, established under law number 7 of May 26, 1902.
Dr. Agostinho de Souza Lima passed away on December 28, 1921, in the city of Petrópolis in the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Acad. Francisco Sampaio