Forerunner of forensic medicine, he left a lasting mark on Cuban medical science. He was the first Cuban to receive the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery. Together with Dr. Nicolás José Gutiérrez Hernández, he founded the first Cuban medical magazine called Havana Medical Repertory. Both his scientific works and his literary work were published in several Cuban newspapers and magazines of the time.

Havana Medical Repertory

It was the first Cuban magazine specialized in medicine, published between 1840 and 1845. It was founded in 1840 by surgeon Nicolás J. Gutiérrez and edited by Luís Costales and Ramón Zambrana. In 1842 Zambrana ceased his work in the magazine and was replaced by Cayetano Lanuza, and together with Costales and Gutiérrez, they were in charge of writing the second year of the "Repertorio Médico Habanero" (Havana Medical Repertory).Faustino Valdés, who directed the magazine "Boletín Científico" of Havana, merged his publication with that of Gutiérrez in November 1843, resulting in the "Repertorio Médico Habanero y Boletín Científico". It published its last issue in 1845.