Augusto e Jaime Celestino da Costa:

Personal Libraries at Nova Medical School

Abstract

Augusto Celestino da Costa, a renowned histologist, and his son Jaime Celestino da Costa, a distinguished surgeon, represent two generations of prominent portuguese physicians. This study examines their personal libraries, which were donated to the Nova Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and are now held with restricted access at the institution’s library.
Using a mixed-methods analysis that integrates both quantitative and qualitative data derived from the bibliographic catalogue, we examined 1,884 volumes comprising 1,578 unique titles, primarily in the fields of Histology, Embryology, and Cardiothoracic Surgery. The works span from 1690 to 2009 and are written in Portuguese, French, English, and Spanish.
Our analysis provides insight into the professional interests and intellectual environments of both physicians, shedding light on the evolution of medical knowledge and education in Portugal. These collections also serve as valuable historical sources for understanding the development of medical sciences in the country.