Jacob de Castro Sarmento, M.D. — A Portuguese and a doctor of medicine of the university of Coimbra of the 21st May, 1717, was admitted a Licentiate of the College of Physicians 25th June, 1725. On the 7th September, 1739, he produced a diploma under the seal of the university of Aberdeen, dated 2nd July, 1739, that he had been created doctor of medicine in that university. Dr. Sarmento was a Jew, deeply versed in Hebrew and Jewish lore, and had come to this country as rabbi of his Portuguese brethren. The study of medicine and of the natural sciences was formerly a favourite pursuit of the Jewish rabbis; and from the time of Maimonides to recent periods numerous doctors of Jewish law were also doctors of medicine and practising physicians. So it was with Dr. Sarmento; but he abjured the faith of his ancestors, in a " Letter to the Heads of the Synagogue," printed in 1758; and during the later years of his life, does not appear to have held any intercourse with his former co-religionists. He had been admitted a fellow of the Royal Society 12th February, 1729-30, and he died 14th September, 1762, aged seventy. His portrait by Pine, was engraved by Houston. He was the author of -
Appendix ao que se acha escrito na Materia Medica. 8vo. Lond. 1757.
Materia Medica physico-historico-mechanica. 4to. Lond. 1758.

William Munk