[2] In February 1869, he presented a thesis entitled “Contributions to the microscopic anatomy of the pancreas,” in which he refers to islands of clear cells throughout the gland, staining differently than the surrounding tissue.

[3] After graduation, he accompanied the geographer Richard Kiepert to Syria, Palestine and western Jordan, but returned to Europe at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War and later served in an ambulance unit in France.

In search of a cure, he travelled to Naples, Palermo, the island of Capri, and underwent treatments at Davos and Silvaplana in Switzerland, but all in vain: he was forced to apply for release from his university duties.

He practiced as a physician in Funchal, treating mostly fellow tuberculosis sufferers, and published scientific papers about the condition in Virchow's archive.

The newly-weds rented Quinta Lambert, known as the most beautiful villa in Funchal and now the Official Residence of the President of the Regional Government.