Octaviano Maria da Rosa was born in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 1801.
He studied surgery and medicine at the Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Rio de Janeiro (currently, the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ).
A Full Member of the Medical Society of Rio de Janeiro, and later, of the Imperial Academy of Medicine, Dr. Rosa was sworn in on June 30, 1829, and is deemed one of the institution’s Founding Members.
The physician served as President of the Medical Society of Rio de Janeiro, nowadays known as the Academia Nacional de Medicina (National Academy of Medicine – ANM), in the 2nd quarter of 1831, as well as in 1833.
At only 41 years of age, he died prematurely on January 29, 1842, after being stricken with a serious condition.