Rizal, the Doctor

By Prof. Jet T.Castillo

 Dr. Jose Rizal
• Graduated from Madrid Central University
• Specialized in Ophthalmology (eye doctor)
• Had his internship in prestigious eye clinics in
Germany
• Germany- center of science and technology in
the 1800s
• The only Asian eye doctor with a European
training
 Hong Kong
• Place where Rizal first practiced his profession
• He had many patients because eye doctors
were rare
• His family (mother, sisters and Paciano) lived
with him during his stay in Hong Kong
• His fame spread quickly
 Hong Kong
• In 1892, he went to Manila to inaugurate the
La Liga Filipina.
• He never made it back to his Hong Kong clinic
because he got arrested and exiled to Dapitan.
 Dapitan
• Rizal continued his medical practice in a nipa
hut clinic.
• His patients were the residents of Talisay (a
purok) in Dapitan town, in present-day
Zamboanga del Norte
• He also sailed to nearby barangays and puroks
in his little boat. He held clinics there too.
 Dapitan
• Since Rizal was the only doctor in that region,
he became a general practitioner.
• His medical practice not only focused on
ophthalmology. He treated all sorts of
illnesses, including syphilis.
• He also practiced dentistry. He ordered his
sister to bring him dentistry tools from Manila.
 Dapitan
• His fame spread quickly in Mindanao.
• He treated all sorts of people from all walks of
life.
• In one of his letters, he mentioned treating
some Moro people.
• He also treated a rich old woman from
Dipolog who disguised as a poor person. He
charged her P5.
 Dapitan
• Patients in Luzon travelled far to Dapitan just
to have themselves treated by Rizal.
• Rizal sometimes treat his patients by “remote
control”. His sisters would write to him the
complaints and symptoms of a patient in
Luzon, then he would reply by mail from
Dapitan.
 Dapitan
• Rizal’s biggest rivals in Dapitan were the
kulams and albularyos.
• Some patients still patronize these local native
“doctors”
• Rizal wrote a comics humorously attacking the
kulams
 Most Important Patient
• Teodora Alonzo, his mother
• Rizal operated her eye to remove the cataract
• Later, the other eye had problems too, Rizal
operated on it, but she wasn’t healed.
• The old woman wasn’t obedient to Rizal’s
post-op instructions.
 Another Important Patient
• Mr. George Taufer, the adoptive father of
Josephine Bracken.
• Josephine Bracken accompanied her almost-
blind stepfather from Hong Kong to Dapitan to
be treated by Rizal.
• This is when and where Jose met Josephine
for the first time.
• Rizal’s surgery on Taufer was not successful.
 Another Important Patient
• Angry at Rizal, Mr. George Taufer, went back to
Hong Kong.
• Josephine went back to Dapitan and had a
live-in relationship with Rizal.
 Interesting Visitor
• In June 1896, Rizal had a doctor for a visitor,
Dr. Pio Valenzuela.
• Dr. Valenzuela brought with him a blind man
as a prop (supposedly a patient for Rizal).
• Dr. Valenzuela’s real mission was to recruit
Rizal in the KKK, or at least get his blessings for
the revolution they were planning.
• Rizal didn’t bite.
 Interesting Visitor
• To avoid suspicion, Rizal examined the blind
man.
• He was beyond cure, but he gave him a
prescription just the same.
• He prescribed a diuretic (not related to any
eye disease!)
• Then they parted ways.
 Cuba
• Rizal volunteered to be a military doctor in
Cuba.
• The Cubans were having a revolution for their
independence.
• Rizal would be on the side of Spain. He would
treat wounded Spanish soldiers.
• His application was granted.
 Cuba
• On his way to Cuba, the Philippine Revolution
broke out.
• The Katipuneros shouted “Mabuhay si Dr. Jose
Rizal” whenever they charge at the Spaniards.
• The Spaniards thought Rizal was their leader.
• He was arrested on board the ship that was
taking him to Cuba.
 Cuba
• Rizal was brought back to Manila in hand
cuffs.
• He was tried and executed.
• That was the end of his medical career.