Egas Moniz was born in Avança, Portugal, on November 29, 1874. He received his early education from his uncle, an abbot, and later entered the University of Coimbra in 1891 where he pursued a degree in mathematics. He eventually changed his mind, however, and entered the medical degree program. He received his M.D. from Coimbra in 1899.

For much of his life, Egas Moniz divided his time between political action and medical research. The first decade of the twentieth century was a period of revolutionary upheaval in Portugal and Egas Moniz was active in the Republican movement that led to the overthrow of the monarchy in 1910. He went on to serve as a deputy in the new parliament, ambassador to Spain, foreign minister, and Portuguese delegate to the 1918 Paris Peace Conference. He retired from politics in 1919 after becoming involved in a duel over a political disagreement.

Egas Moniz's scientific...