Description: (Spanish Jesuit Missionary and Naturalist)
José de Acosta, SJ, was a notable Spanish Jesuit missionary and naturalist in Latin America during the sixteenth century. He devoted himself to advancing Christianity and researching the natural environment of the region. Acosta's studies and writings on the negative impacts of high altitudes on the human body, particularly in crossing the Andes, resulted in the recognition of a form of altitude sickness called Acosta's disease. His research played a crucial role in enhancing comprehension of the connections between geography, climate, and human well-being.