José Frutuoso Aires de Gouveia Osório (1827-1887) had an academic degree in Philosophy and Medicine by the University of Coimbra (1847 and 1849) and graduated in Medicine in Edinburgh (1853), where he presented his dissertation, "Prolapse of the uterus" (1854). He was a physician in Hospital da Misericórdia of Porto (since 1854), replacement professor of the medical disciplines in the School of Medicine and Surgery of Porto (1858-1886), first professor in charge of the discipline of Public Hygiene and Legal Medicine (since 1863); editor in medical periodicals (Gazeta Médica, Saúde Pública (Medical News, Public Health), creator of the Society of Instruction of Porto (1880) and Mayor of Porto (1887-89).
The Gouveia Osório room includes Pre-historical Medicine, Primitive Medicine, Popular Medicine, Medicine of Ancient Civilizations and Medieval Medicine. This period of the History of Medicine is represented in the vast iconography present in the room, as well as in some of the objects. Among those objects, a highlight is put on a collection of Neolithic silexes, amulets and votive offerings. The main facts of Ancient Medicine are presented in prints, among which are focused the portraits of the most famous physicians of Antiquity, Hippocrates and Galenus. Professor Luís de Pina pointed out the approximate location of medieval hospitals and shelters, where the pilgrims used to be assisted, on a topographical map of the city of Porto, also presented in this room.
