FRANCO, Francisco de Mello, Brazilian physician, born in Paracatu, 7 September 1'757; died in Ubatuba, 22 July 1823. He studied medicine at the University of Coimbra, Portugal, where also he cultivated poetry and published "Reino da Estupidez" (1778), which was condemned by the Inquisition, and the author was imprisoned in 1779. In 1785, after his release, he was graduated as doctor, and settled in Lisbon, where in 1795, he became court physician. He was one of the founders of the Geographical academy. In 1817 he accompanied to Brazil the Archduchess Mary Leopoldine, affianced bride of the princeroyal Dora Pedro. When, in 1820, the constitutional struggle in Portugal began, Franco by his writings encouraged the Liberal party, and he also declared for the democratic ideas when the same movement occurred in Brazil in 1821. The king immediately dismissed Franco from service at the palace, and he was reduced to comparative poverty. He published "Flora portugueza 6 brazileira" (12 vols.); "Traitado de educacao physica dos memnos para uso da nacao portugueza" ; " Ensaio sobre as febres, tom observacoes acerca da topographica 6 clima do Rio Janeiro"; " Elementos de Hygiene "; and a volume of poems (1777)..