[Lorenzo Sazié]

The first Dean of the University of Chile School of Medicine was Dr Lorenzo Sazié a young and bright French academician, endowed with superb skills in Surgery and Obstetrics. His nomination as Dean (1843) extended until December 1st, 1865 when he died, just a few days after the passing away of Andrés Bello, the Rector of the University of Chile. Sazié's fulfillment as physician, Professor, Dean, Member of the University Council and President of Protomedicatus Court, was outstanding. He organized medical curricula according to French medical scopes, to local resources and to Chilean prevalent diseases. He enabled scientific development by means of a close connection between the School of Medicine and the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Works of both Schools were supposed to be related with matters of public interest and were published in "Revista de Santiago". He also provided subscriptions to the principal European scientific journals. As President of Protomedicatus he applied severe measures to regulate medical and paramedical performances. In addition, as President of the "Junta de Beneficencia de Santiago" he supervised and updated hospital care management and founded several health institutions such as the Madhouse, the Orphan House and the School of Midwifery. As a physician Sazié was a frugal, generous and dedicated man who, regardless of social or economic positions, served everyone with the same devotion. He died from typhoid fever while taking care of his patients during an epidemic outbreak which took place in Santiago in those days.