Portuguese physician, philosopher and encyclopédiste. After he studied in the universities of Coimbra and Salamanca, Sanches moved to London. He then went to Leyden University where he completed his formation under the direction of Herman Boerhaave. He was among the three physicians that empress Anna of Russia asked the latter to recommend to her in 1731. Appointed doctor of the Russian army, he distinguished himself before becoming a court physician. After more than 15 years of stay in Russia, he left the country in 1748 after empress Elizabeth Petrowna had denounced two of his doctor colleagues as Jews. Having had the chance, amid the daily proscriptions which he witnessed to be allowed to leave the country, he took the way to Paris in 1748 where he ended his life. After she ascended to the throne, Catherine the Great rewarded him for his services with a pension of 1000 rubles, which was punctually paid until his death. He gave the article « Vérole » to the Encyclopédie by Diderot and D'Alembert.
