Samuel Sarphati

Vocation

Dutch physician and Amsterdam city planner whose ancestors were Portuguese Sephardi Jews who arrived in the Netherlands in the 17th century. While only middle-class, his parents were able to let him attend a Latin school. At the age of 20, Sarphati started studying medicine in Leiden, which he finished with a promotion in 1839. During his work thereafter as a doctor in Amsterdam (he lived at the house #598 Herengracht), Sarphati encountered the bad hygiene among the poor in Amsterdam. His compassion for his patients led him to initiate all sorts of projects to improve the quality of life in the city and the health of its inhabitants. They included a bread factory producing wholesome, affordable bread, and a refuse collection service. Sarphati played an important role in the initiation of waste transport in 1847. He became involved in politics, particularly as a project developer in city planning. Beside public health he also initiated improvements in education and industrialization. He also wanted to enhance Amsterdam's dignity and standing by constructing impressive buildings like the Amstel Hotel and the Paleis voor Volksvlijt. He died on 23 June 1866 in Amsterdam, aged 53. Link to Wikipedia biography