Oswaldo Cruz

Oswaldo Gonçalves Cruz (* August 5, 1872 in São Luiz do Paraitinga, † February 11, 1917 in Petrópolis ) was a Brazilian physician, bacteriologist, epidemiologist and public health officer.

Cruz was influenced by Louis Pasteur and pioneered the study of tropical diseases in Brazil. In 1900 he founded the Instituto Nacional Soroterápico in the neighborhood Manguinhos of Rio de Janeiro; The institute was later renamed the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz and is known internationally.

Cruz was a member of the Academia Brasileira de Letras and occupied their fifth cadeira from 1912 until his death in 1917.

According to him, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro and a street in the 16th arrondissement of Paris is named. He graced the 50th Cruzeiro bill from 1986 ( to about 1988).