Cristobal Acosta

Cristobal Acosta (1515–1580) was a Portuguese doctor and natural historian. He is considered a pioneer in the study of plants from the Orient, especially their use in pharmacology.

His works included Tractado de las drogas y medicinas de las Indias orientales (1578, latin), containing observations on oriental drugs. (Among other material, this work made mention of bangue, a concoction made from cannabis.) Another work of note was Tractado de la yerbas, plantas, frutas y animales, but this treatise is now believed lost.

He was known to have been born outside Portugul proper, most likely in the Cape Verde Islands or else a Portuguese possession in Africa. His educational background is unknown.

Cristobal Acosta first travelled to the East Indies in 1550 as a soldier. He took part in some campaigns against the native populace, and at one point was taken prisoner and held captive in Bengal. After returning to Portugul, he joined his former captain, Luiz de Ataide, who had been appointed viceroy of India. He returned to Goa in India 1568. In 1569 he was appointed physician to the royal hospital in Cochin. By 1571, he was noted as collecting botanical specimens from various parts of India. He returned to Portugul in 1572 after Ataide's term ended.

From 1576 to 1587 he served as surgeon and then physician in Burgos. When his wife died, he retired and went to live in a hermitage. He died in 1594 in Huelva, Spain.

The Acosta crater on the Moon is named in his honor.

External links

• The Galileo Project site was used in building this page.