He was born in Sabanilla del Comendador, belonging to the province of Matanzas, on November 6, 1857. He obtained the degree of Doctor of Medicine at the University of Havana. He was one of the main scientific figures of the Histobacteriological Laboratory created in Havana by Juan Santos Fernandez. Laborious and tenacious, he achieved by his own efforts to occupy the most outstanding place in Cuba in the specialty he studied. He made important studies and discoveries in medicine. He contributed to the development of the anti-diphtheria vaccine, isolated and identified different pathogenic microorganisms and obtained sera against tetanus and typhoid fever. He was called the wise man who dreamed of bacteria.

Sabanilla del Comendador

It was the name of the current municipality Juan Gualberto Gómez corresponding to the province of Matanzas. Its territory covers an area of 129 square kilometers.

 Juan Santos Fernández

He was born in the town of Unión de Reyes, Matanzas province, on July 22, 1847. He was a doctor specialized in Ophthalmology, promoter of important efforts in the field of Medical Sciences in Cuba. He performed complex ophthalmic operations for the first time in the country. He wrote numerous articles and scientific reports and was considered one of the most prolific Cuban authors of the 19th century. He died in Havana on August 6, 1922.