Carlos J Finlay Barrés was born on December 3rd, 1833 in the town of Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe, on Cristo Street # 2214. His family remained in this place for a year, until on February 5th, 1834 they decided to move Santa Ana Street, to a house located opposite José de la Cruz Castellanos and they lived in the area until the first months of 1835.
Regarding his birthplace, as well as the certainty that the house located in Cristo # 5 (current number) between Pamela Fernández and Lugareño streets was his birthplace, comes into controversy with the existence of a plaque in the Finlay alley between República and Lope Recio streets, who is also related to this event, fills the birthplace of this figure with discussions.
However, evidence is coming to light that testifies to a reality that is difficult to refute. In the newspaper El Camagüeyano the idea of giving the name to the Angels Alley that of Dr. Carlos J. Finlay, after his death; am example of the town response in line with the area where he was supposed to have been born. Two decades later, on December 3rd, 1943, the Camagüey Lions Club, Sociedad de Recreo y Beneficencia, decided to place a bronze plaque in house # 15 in the alley itself, where it had been presumed until that date that it was the birthplace of the eminent researcher.
There are other peculiarities as to why the plaque dedicated to Finlay on the facade of the aforementioned building. Dr. Francisco Martínez de la Cruz himself repeated in his speech on three occasions: “The House where Dr. Carlos J. Finlay is presumed to have been born” and also noted “If later evidence were sought that would leave no doubt about which is the house where Finlay was born or stayed, this plaque, which does not say name or street, can be transferred there”. It is evident that the certainty of her birthplace did not exist, but it demonstrated the imperishable trace of what the men of Camagüey thought and did to safeguard the worth of Carlos J. Finlay and to perpetuate the memory of the wise man.
Cristo # 5 as his place of birth is further corroborated in a local press note at the time announcing the establishment of Finlay’s father, Doctor Edward Finlay Wilson, practicing as a doctor at this address, which then had the number 2214. In addition of the Chapter Act number 33 in the Historical Archive of the City that accredits him as a Latin surgeon in the City Hall of Puerto Príncipe on January 25th, 1833.
An investigation carried out by the historian of the city of Camagüey, Gustavo Sed Nieves is published on December 2nd, 1979 in the Adelante newspaper in a document entitled: Where was Finlay born? backing up the authenticity of the property after a study carried out by an Investigative Commission.
And if there could be any doubt, the Archbishopric of Camagüey has his baptism certification on the aforementioned date baptized in the Parroquial Mayor on January 2nd, 1834, recorded in the baptism book for whites number 16 of the Parish Archive, page 153, number 576 and a half. Sacrament that according to the custom of the time was made in the church closest to the home and precisely this house belonged to the jurisdiction of that parish.
His birthplace, a building that changed its use in 2002, becoming a sociocultural project of the OHCC, has as its fundamental purpose the dissemination of the life and work of the outstanding scientist, hosts events, workshops and conferences of various scientific and health centers. It develops actions aimed at satisfying the needs and predilections of the general population, with preference for the elderly, and projects aimed at improving the quality of life, emphasizing natural and traditional medicine.
Treasured in the literature preserved in the institution, as well as other studies, they are registered in Finlay’s Complete Works, which can be consulted. In addition to approaching the valuable colonial property, his story and the knowledge of a scientific paradigm.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
