Ramon Allende Padin

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Dr.Ramón Allende Padín

Dr. Ramón Allende Padín (March 19, 1845 - October 14, 1884) (The Red) was a medical doctor and author of important scientific publications, Chief of the Chilean Army medical services during the War of the Pacific and a political figure.

He was born in Valparaíso, the son of José Gregorio Allende Garcés and of Salomé Padín Ruiz. Allende carried out his first studies at the Liceo de Valparaíso and the Instituto Nacional. On June 20, 1865 he graduated as a medical doctor from the Universidad de Chile, specializing in obstetrics and surgery. He became an assistant professor of the School of Medicine in August 1864, and a full professor in November of 1865. He married Eugenia Castro del Fierro on April 24, 1869, with whom had two sons: Ramón and Salvador.

In 1870 he became Chief Doctor of the Hospital de Sanidad (public emergency hospital.) He also worked with Professor Wenceslao Díaz and at the San Borja and San Vicente de Paul's hospitals. In 1875 Allende was designated by President Federico Errázuriz Zañartu as a member of the Comittee on Public Welfare in charge of its reform. He joined the Radical party and was elected deputy for Santiago in 1876 and was reelected in 1879, this time for Copiapó and Caldera. He was also president of the Council on Public Hygiene from December 8, 1879 to November 1, 1880.

On September 28, 1880 Dr. Allende became the Superintendant of the Army Medical Services during the War of the Pacific (1879 - 1884). During the war he accompanied the troops, as chief medical officer in charge of the Ambulance Service (an ambulance of the time was a mobile hospital of about 20 beds, equipped to perform emergency field surgeries). As such he is considered the founder of the Chilean Army Medical Corps.

Allende was master of the Masonic Lodge "Justice and Liberty" and a notorious enemy of the Catholic Church which excomulgated him. He was also an editor of the newspapers "Guía para el Pueblo" (People's guide) and "El Deber" (Duty). He was named a member of the Comittee on Public Instruction an as such he founded several schools, among them the Blas Cuevas in Valparaiso, the first school under masonic control. He was also a director of the Firemen Corps. He was elected a Senator on 1882, and Grand Master of the Freemasonry in 1884, but died just a few months later of complications due to diabetes at the age of 39. His public funeral became a gigantic political meeting, with the public eulogy being delivered by the radical leader Enrique Mac-Iver, and the casket being carried by two future presidents of Chile: José Manuel Balmaceda and Ramón Barros Luco.