Antonio Fernós-Isern
Encyclopedia
Dr. Antonio Fernós-Isern (May 10, 1895 – January 19, 1974) was the first Puerto Rican
cardiologist and its longest serving resident commissioner
.
and attended primary and intermediate schools in Caguas. His family moved to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
during his mid-year in high school. He finished his high school education in the "Pennsylvania State Normal School". After completing his pre-medical training, he applied and was accepted in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the University of Maryland
and earned his doctor's degree in May 1915.
Fernos-Isern returned to the island and settled in the city of Caguas
where he practiced medicine for two years. between the years 1918-1933, he held various administrative positions in the health services of Puerto Rico. In 1918, he was the Director for the City of San Juan; from 1919 to 1921, he was the Under-Secretary of Health; from 1921-23 the Director of Health in city; from 1923-29 he was once again Under-Secretary of Health and from 1930-33 the Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico.
, here he completed his residency in cardiology at Columbia University
and thus became the "first" Puerto Rican cardiologist. Upon his later return to Puerto Rico, he became a professor at the "Public School of Tropical Medicine of Puerto Rico",where he had previously served as assistant and associate professor.
organize the "Popular Democratic Party" (Partido Popular Democratico). In 1941, he served as the Director of civilian defense for the San Juan Metropolitan Area. In 1942 he returned to head the Department of Health and the Administration of Public Housing, as Director of the War Effort Office for Puerto Rico. From 1943 to 1946 Dr. Fernos-Isern was also the acting governor of Puerto Rico, during the Governorship of Rexford G. Tugwell under appointment as Permanent Acting Governor approved by president Franklyn D. Roosevelt.
, appointed Fernos-Isern as his replacement for the Resident Commissioner to the U.S. Congress after unanimous endorsement from the legislature. Fernos-Isern was re-elected for six consecutive years, serving a total of nineteen years. As Resident Commissioner, Fernos-Isern played a very important role in convincing the Government of the United States to give Puerto Ricans the right to govern their island. In 1947, the "Crawford Project", allowing Puerto Ricans to elect their governor was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman
.
On June 8, 1950, the United States Senate
approved the "Public Law 600", allowing Puerto Rico to establish its own constitutional government. Fernos-Isern served as president of the Constitutional Convention, which formulated the Constitution
of the "Commonwealth" (Estado Libre Asociado
).
and was elected to the Puerto Rican Senate, serving between 1965-1969. After he retired from politics, he returned to the University of Puerto Rico as Resident Scholar where he wrote his monumental work in three parts: The Estado Libre Asociado...(the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), and Filosofía y Doctrina del Estadolibrismo Puertorriqueño(Philosophy and doctrine of the Puerto Rican Commonwealth).
Antonio Fernos-Isern died in San Juan, Puerto Rico
on January 19, 1974 and was buried with full state honors in the Santa María Magdalena de Pazziz National Cemetery located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
cardiologist and its longest serving resident commissioner
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years...
.
Early years
Fernos-Isern born in San Lorenzo, Puerto RicoSan Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
San Lorenzo is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the eastern central region, north of Patillas and Yabucoa; south of Gurabo; east of Caguas and Cayey; and west of Juncos and Las Piedras. San Lorenzo is spread over ten wards and San Lorenzo Pueblo...
and attended primary and intermediate schools in Caguas. His family moved to Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...
during his mid-year in high school. He finished his high school education in the "Pennsylvania State Normal School". After completing his pre-medical training, he applied and was accepted in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore, was founded in 1807. It comprises some of the oldest professional schools in the nation and world. It is the original campus of the University System of Maryland. Located on 60 acres in downtown Baltimore, Maryland, it is part of the University System of Maryland...
and earned his doctor's degree in May 1915.
Fernos-Isern returned to the island and settled in the city of Caguas
Caguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
where he practiced medicine for two years. between the years 1918-1933, he held various administrative positions in the health services of Puerto Rico. In 1918, he was the Director for the City of San Juan; from 1919 to 1921, he was the Under-Secretary of Health; from 1921-23 the Director of Health in city; from 1923-29 he was once again Under-Secretary of Health and from 1930-33 the Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico.
First Puerto Rican cardiologist
In 1933, Fernos-Isern resigned as health commissioner and went to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, here he completed his residency in cardiology at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and thus became the "first" Puerto Rican cardiologist. Upon his later return to Puerto Rico, he became a professor at the "Public School of Tropical Medicine of Puerto Rico",where he had previously served as assistant and associate professor.
Political career
In 1937, Fernos-Isern joined Luis Muñoz MarínLuis Muñoz Marín
Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...
organize the "Popular Democratic Party" (Partido Popular Democratico). In 1941, he served as the Director of civilian defense for the San Juan Metropolitan Area. In 1942 he returned to head the Department of Health and the Administration of Public Housing, as Director of the War Effort Office for Puerto Rico. From 1943 to 1946 Dr. Fernos-Isern was also the acting governor of Puerto Rico, during the Governorship of Rexford G. Tugwell under appointment as Permanent Acting Governor approved by president Franklyn D. Roosevelt.
Resident Commissioner
In 1946, the governor of Puerto Rico, Jesus T. PiñeroJesus T. Piñero
Jesús Toribio Piñero Jiménez was the first native Puerto Rican to be appointed governor of Puerto Rico by the Government of the United States.-Early years:...
, appointed Fernos-Isern as his replacement for the Resident Commissioner to the U.S. Congress after unanimous endorsement from the legislature. Fernos-Isern was re-elected for six consecutive years, serving a total of nineteen years. As Resident Commissioner, Fernos-Isern played a very important role in convincing the Government of the United States to give Puerto Ricans the right to govern their island. In 1947, the "Crawford Project", allowing Puerto Ricans to elect their governor was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
.
On June 8, 1950, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
approved the "Public Law 600", allowing Puerto Rico to establish its own constitutional government. Fernos-Isern served as president of the Constitutional Convention, which formulated the Constitution
Constitution of Puerto Rico
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is composed of nine articles detailing the structure of the government as well as the function of several of its institutions. The document also contains an extensive...
of the "Commonwealth" (Estado Libre Asociado
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
).
Later years
Fernos-Isern did not seek re-election in 1964. He returned to Puerto Rico from Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was elected to the Puerto Rican Senate, serving between 1965-1969. After he retired from politics, he returned to the University of Puerto Rico as Resident Scholar where he wrote his monumental work in three parts: The Estado Libre Asociado...(the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico), and Filosofía y Doctrina del Estadolibrismo Puertorriqueño(Philosophy and doctrine of the Puerto Rican Commonwealth).
Antonio Fernos-Isern died in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
on January 19, 1974 and was buried with full state honors in the Santa María Magdalena de Pazziz National Cemetery located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Legacy
His memory is honored at the Capitol building in San Juan with a bust facing the urn preserving the original Constitution of Puerto Rico. His collected papers are held in trust at the Fernós-Isern room at the Inter American University Law School in Hato Rey, San Juan.See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican scientists and inventors