Dr. José N.(Narciso) Gándara Cartagena (1907-1954) was a prominent Puerto Rican physician. He is best remembered for having led teams of doctors in the medical care necessary to threat the hundreds of wounded of the infamous Ponce Massacre that occurred on Palm Sunday, 1937, in Ponce, Puerto Rico, at the hands of the Insular Police. Dr. Gandara was also instrumental in providing expert witness testimony, grounded on his medical training and experience to the effect that wounded Nationalists running away were shot in the back, and that many were again wounded by the clubs and bare fists of the police.

Dr. Gandara held over a dozen different public servant positions in Puerto Rico, not only in health but also in public housing and other areas. He was also Deputy Commissioner of Health of the Commonwealth from 1943 to 1945.^[1] He was also one of the founders of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico.^[2]

[edit] Legacy

There are public housing developments in Ponce and Moca named after Dr. Gandara. There is a high school in Aibonito, Puerto Rico named in his memory. In Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, there is a public school named him also.

[edit] References

1. ^ Chemotherapy of Human Filariasis by the Administration of Neostibosan1
2. ^ Historia del Dr. José N. Gándara y de la escuela que lleva su nombre

[edit] See also

• Ponce, Puerto Rico
• List of famous Puerto Ricans