Felix Marti-Ibanez (1911–1972) Spanish author and minister for the Republic during the Spanish Civil War; exiled during Franco’s era, he became a United States citizen and published the popular MD magazine in 1950s

Born in Cartagena, Spain, Felix Marti-Ibanez received his Doctorate in Medicine from the Medical School of the University of Madrid. He then practiced psychiatry in Barcelona and lectured throughout Spain on psychology, medical history, art and literature. During this period, he also edited several medical and literary journals and wrote novels and many books on the history of medicine and psychology. In 1937 he was appointed General Director of Public Health and Social Services of Catalonia, and later, Secretary of Public Health and Social Service for Spain. Dr. Marti-Ibanez came to reside in the United States in 1939 and subsequently became an American citizen. He has participated in the International Congresses of History of Medicine, History of Science, Psychology, and Psychiatry, held in Amsterdam, Paris, Stockholm, Nice and Zurich. He has also lectured extensively throughout the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Japan and the Philippines. Dr. Martí-Ibáñez undertook the publication of several medical journals in 1950 and founded the publishing house of MD Publications, Inc., and in 1957 he created and launched the Medical Newsmagazine MD, of which he is the Editor-in-Chief and publisher. In January, 1960, he launched MD of Canada and in 1962, MD en Español.

The Order of Carlos J. Finlay was presented to Dr. Martí-Ibáñez in 1955 in recognition of his educational work in the field of medicine. In 1956 the New York Medical College, Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospitals, appointed Dr. Martí-Ibáñez Professor and Chairman of the Department of the History of Medicine.

Medicohistorical papers by Dr. Felix Martí-Ibáñez have been published in journals throughout the world. He is also the author of the section on the history of Medicine in the latest edition of the Encyclopedia Americana. Articles and short stories of his have appeared in Town and Country, Esquire, Gentry, Cosmopolitan, Art & Architecture, and Fantasy and Science Fiction, and he contributes a column to Latin American newspapers.

Dr. Marti-Ibanez is now completing a pentalogy on the history of medicine, of which four books have been published: Centaur (Essays on the History of Medical Ideas), Men, Molds, and History, A Prelude to Medical History, and Ariel (Essays on the Arts and the History and Philosophy of Medicine). The fifth volume, The Fabric of Medicine, is a work in progress. Among Dr. Martí-Ibáñez’ current books is The Crystal Arrow (Essays on Literature, Travel, Art, Love, and the History of Medicine). His literary works in progress are Waltz, a collection of short stories; A Sword From Toledo, a historical novel on the times of Vesalius; The Pagodas, a humorous novel; and Journey Around Myself, a narration of his journeys around the world.