Luis Ma. Guerrero
1874-1950
Bacteriologist, Pediatrician, and Helminthologist
Also a Writer
Dr. Guerrero in his younger days was a writer, a contemporary of such foremost Filipino authors as Cecillo apostol, Rafael Palma, Fernando Ma. Guerrero, Manuel s. Guerrero. Most of his literary works appeared in several short stories revealing his keen sense of humor and his mastery of the Spanish language. His love for the Spanish classics and literature in its varied forms revealed his rich literacy background. He was multi-lingual; his mastery of English, French, Chinese and Italian languages were fruits of his intense desire to learn. These languages were all self-taught and these proved that diligence and patience were so much a part of him.
The literary field was not to be his career for long. As a student, he finally turned to medicine only after completing in 1893 his Bachelor of Arts degree at the Ateneo de Manila.
Belonging to a well-to-do family, Luis was descendant of that line of well-known Guerrero’s, that included artists, physicians, a botanist, writers, and other prominent figures in the history of our country. The son of Brigido Guerrero and Maria Alvarez, he was born on December 1, 1874, and raised in Ermita – that suburb of genteel society south of Intramuros. During the Spanish era the Ermita district was a center of finely woven hand embroideries, as well as the home of many attractive and cultured mestiza ladies. He married the former Adela Henry, a French mestiza, with whom Dr. Guerrero had ten children.
Mrs. Guerrero was a devoted woman. During her husband’s last six months of confinement at the UST. Hospital, she faithfully stayed by his side. In spite of the nurses and interns assigned to watch over him, she personally attended to her husband’s need. At 3:30 in the afternoon the day before he died, a few hours before he was to fall into a coma, Dr. Guerrero roused his wife from sleep. This was the first time in months of constant vigil, that Mrs. Guerrero allowed herself such a luxury. Still drowsy from sleep, her husband-doctor told her that he was just imagining things, that he looked so well, and that death was far from approaching. At 6:30 that same day, the "great diagnostician" was in a coma, and 24 hours after, he died.
Reading was Dr. Guerrero’s only hobby. This he indulged in every night. He read both science and he classics, and even during his bedridden days, he kept himself abreast of the latest advances in medicine. For him, books were a source of knowledge and knowledge was wealth which could never be stolen. A riddle which he composed, is indicative of this faith:
"Mayroon isang bahay:
Inakyat nanag magnanakaw;
Kinuha lahat anf laman;
Walang nawala ni ano man."
As a member of several organizations, his purpose was mainly to elevate the standard of the medical profession. In one of his speeches before the members of the Philippine Medical association, he discussed the hardships of medical practice. At the same time he appealed to his colleagues to uphold the dignity and sanctity of the medical profession and to cherish its ideals. These are all incorporated in his speech entitled "Vontratiempos de la Profession Medica en Filipinas".
Being one of the founders of the Colegio Medico-Farmaceutico de Filipina and the Manila Medical Society, Luis Ma. Guerrero encouraged scientific research. Other scientific organizations of which he was a member included the Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the Division of Medical Sciences of the National Research Council of the Philippine Medical Association.
One of his researches, consisted of an extensive malarial survey of the Province of Rizal, investigating the blood of all cases of spleenomegaly. Among the chief remedies suggested by Dr. Guerrero for he extermination of the disease were:
This study led eventually to the implementation of a malarial control program undertaken by the government Dr. Guerrero’s report on this subject with Victor Sevilla as co-author appears in the Philippine Journal of Science. His other published contributions include: "Treatment of Ulcus Tropicum" in collaboration with Dr. Isabelo Concepcion, Journal of the Philippine Islands Medical Association, 11921; "La Fiebre tifoidea en Filipinas" with Dr. Proceso Gabriel, published in the Aetas, Memorias y Communicaciones de la Caurta Asamblea Regional de Medicos y Farmaceuticos, 1918; "On the Treatment of Yaws with Sodium-Potassium Tartaro Bismuthate" with Dr. Ricardo Fernandez and Irene Rosal, Transaction, 5th biennial congress, Far Eastern Association of Tropical Medicine, 1917; "Venom of the Philippine Cobra (Najanaja Philippineses)" with Carlos Monserrat, Philippine Journal of Science, 1920; "Intoxication by Illicum Religiosum Siebold", with D. dela Paz and Alfredo Guerrero, Philippine Journal of Science, 1916. In this work, four cases of poisoning from the use of decoction of "saki", the fruit of Illicum religiosum had been reported. Symptomatology and therapy of the poisoning are well defined.
In 1918, Dr. Luis Ma. Guerrero together with E. Domingo and Mr. V. Arguelles published his "Further Observations on the Treatment of Yaws with Castellani’s Mixture". Salvaarsan and neosalvarsan are the specific remedies for frambesia, but their high market price and shortage, refusal of injection by patients, and lack of hospitals in the district, spurred this team of physicians to use Castellani’s mixture as a substitute. Their results confirmed the conclusion of Castellani that the diverse manifestations of frambesia heal under the influence of his treatment and the results are as good as those obtained using salvarsan and neosalvarsan drugs.
For these distinctive scientific achievements, Dr. Guerrero was awarded several medals of honor. On July 4, 1948, President Elpidio Quirino bestowed upon him an award for his distinguished service to the country and in recognition of the impact of his achievements on the medical profession. His alma mater, the University of Santo Tomas, honored him as its most distinguished alumnus for the year 1946.