Dr. Clodomiro Picado Twight
Dr. Clodomiro Picado
The scientific work of Dr. Picado was extensive and prolific. He authored about 115 scientific works, among which several books and monographs are included. These can be found in his “Complete Works”, published in 1988 by the Editorial Tecnológica de Costa Rica.
His scientific work studied fields in Biology, including Zoology, Botanic and Ecology, as well as Medical Microbiology, Physiopathology and Immunology, and also Industrial Microbiology and Agronomy. Aside from his scientific work, Picado was an intellectual who was committed to find solutions for many national problems, which can be observed by the large number of articles he published in national journals.
His parents, Clodomiro Picado Lara and Carlota Twight Dengo, both Costa Rican citizens from Cartago, moved to Nicaragua due to Mr. Picado's work as a teacher. In this country, in the department of San Marcos, Clodomiro Picado was born on April 17, 1887.
Afterwards, in 1890, the Picado family returned to Costa Rica, to the province of Cartago where Clodomiro attended elementary school and part of high school at the San Luis Gonzaga School, and then he changed to the Liceo de Costa Rica, where he graduated in 1906.
From this moment, a chronology of facts marked the life and trajectory of Dr. Picado:
| Year | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1907 |
Begins studying Pharmacy at the National University, and is appointed Natural Sciences teacher at the San Luis Gonzaga School. |
| 1908 |
Travels to Paris (France) on a scholarship granted by the Government of Costa Rica. |
| 1909 |
Receives his Diploma of Superior Studies in Zoology, by the Sorbonne. |
| 1910 |
Returns to the country due to the Costa Rican economic crisis, a consequence of the earthquake that destroyed Cartago. He started studying animal life in Costa Rican aerial bromeliad plants. |
| 1912 |
Receives his Diploma of Superior Studies in Botanic; that same year is appointed member of the Zoological Society of France. |
| 1913 |
Receives his Degree of Doctor in Science from the University of Paris. That same year he is admitted into the Pasteur Institute in Paris, and the Institute of Colonial Medicine in the same city. |
| 1914 |
Returns to Costa Rica and is appointed Director of the Clinical Analysis Laboratory in the San Juan de Dios Hospital. |
| 1915 |
Natural Science professor at the Colegio Superior de Señoritas. Founds the magazine “Anal del Hospital de San José” (Annals from the San Jose Hospital), Costa Rica. |
| 1916 |
Founds the Department of Medical Zoology in the Faculty of Pharmacy of Costa Rica. |
| 1920 |
Is appointed Natural Sciences professor at the Liceo de Costa Rica. |
| 1921 |
Receives the title Professor of the State. |
| 1922 | Is appointed delegate to the Pasteur Centenary, and the Government finances an extension for his studies at the Plant Pathology Station in Paris. Is appointed member of the Mexican Society of Biology. |
| 1923 |
Is appointed Corresponding Member of the Society of Exotic Pathology of France. |
| 1932 |
Is appointed member of the American Board of Biological Studies, by the Biology Congress of Uruguay. |
| 1933 |
Is appointed member of the Society of Biology of Paris. |
| 1937 |
Is appointed Chief of Section of the San Juan de Dios Hospital Laboratories, Costa Rica. |
| 1940 |
Is appointed director of the ephemeral National Institute of Hygiene of San Jose during the period under Dr. Solón Núñez as Minister of Public Health and Hygiene. During this period he obtains, in 1926, the approval from the Congress for a Law of Protection of Ophidism. |
| 1942 | The University Council of the University of Costa Rica grants him the title “Doctor Honoris Causa”. Is appointed member of the Society of Biology of Bolivia. |
| 1943 |
The Congress of the Republic declares him “Meritous of the Motherland”. |
| 1944 | He passes away in his home on May 16. |
For more information, those interested can read several publications, among them:
- Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. (1988). Obras completas: Clodomiro Picado Twight. Cartago, Costa Rica: Editorial Tecnológica de Costa Rica.
- Picado-Chacón, M. (1980). Dr. Clodomiro Picado: Vida y obra. San José, Costa Rica: Editorial Universidad de Costa Rica.
- Zeledón-Araya, R. (1993). Biografía de Clodomiro Picado. Serie educación N.° 8. San José, Costa Rica: Editorial Universidad de Costa Rica.
Exhibición conmemora aniversario de muerte de Clodomiro Picado
