Chanca, Diego Alvarez
(late 15th century ) Physician-in-ordinary to Ferdinand and Isabella, of Castile and Aragon . He accompanied Columbus on his second voyage and his medical treatment saved the lives of those afllicted with malarial fever. The site of one of the first Christian settlements in the New World, Isabella, ten leagues east of Cape Monte Christi, Haiti, was decided on as a result of his advice. He was the author of a valuable letter describing the flora, fauna, and ethnography of America , and of two medical works.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Chanca, Diego Alvarez
A physician-in-ordinary to Ferdinand and Isabella of Castile and Aragon; dates of birth and death uncertain. Owing to his professional skill and learning, he was appointed by the Crown to accompany the second expedition of Christopher Columbus to America in 1493. Shortly after landing on the shores of the Island of Haiti, Dr. Chanca proved his skill as a physician by successfully treating Columbus for an attack of pernicious malarial fever, and saving the lives of other prominent members of the expedition who were attacked by disease. On a site selected by Chanca, whose professional advice had been sought, was established the first Christian settlement in the New World, to which Columbus gave the name of Isabella in honour of his illustrious patroness. In this locality Chanca wrote his letter to the muncipal council of his native city, which was the first document describing the flora, the fauna, the ethnology, and the ethnography of America. A remarkable circumstance in connection with this letter is the fact that everything therein contained was the result of only three months of observation and study. Upon his return to Spain, Chanca published in 1506 a medical treatise entitled “Para curar el mal de Costado” (The Trentment of Pleurisy), and in 1514, he published a work in Latin criticizing a book entitled “De conservanda juventute et retardanda senectute”, the work of Amaldo de Villanova, a brother-phycician. Chanca’s work was published under the title “Commentum novum in Parabolas divi Arnaldi de Villanova.”
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VENTURA FUENTES Transcribed by Joseph P. Thomas
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IIICopyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York