José Tomás de Sousa Martins

José Tomás de Sousa Martins
Born7 March 1843
Died18 August 1897(1897-08-18) (aged 54)
OccupationsDoctor and professor

José Tomás de Sousa Martins (7 March 1843 – 18 August 1897) was a doctor renowned for his work for the poor in Lisbon, Portugal. After his death, a secular cult arose around his personality in which he is thanked for "miraculous" cures.

In 1897, Sousa Martins was diagnosed with tuberculosis and left for the Serra da Estrela for relief. The disease worsened and he contracted cardiac problems in addition to what now seemed to be terminal tuberculosis, Sousa Martins committed suicide on 18 August 1897, using a large injection of morphine. Shortly before, he had confided to a friend: "Death is not stronger than I am" and "A doctor threatened with death by two diseases, both fatal, should be eliminated by himself."