Joaquín José Fermoselle-Bacardí, former scientific editor of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Washington for 20 years, died of a heart attack Sunday at HealthSouth Doctors' Hospital in Coral Gables. He was 96.

``Throughout his life, he saved many lives,'' nephew Rafael Fermoselle said.

Fermoselle-Bacardí reviewed, researched and edited medical articles for The Bulletin, WHO's international monthly publication.

Before joining WHO, Fermoselle-Bacardí worked with the Costa Rican Public Health Ministry, specializing in jungle medicine. He established clinics and laboratories that introduced preventive medicine to poor rural areas.

Born in Santiago, Cuba, on Aug. 21, 1904, Fermoselle-Bacardí enrolled at the University of Havana in the mid-1920s. In 1928, he was expelled from the university during the Gerardo Machado presidency for signing a petition against having the presidential term extended from four to six years.

The controversy caused a revolt and demonstrations. In his fifth year of medical school, Fermoselle-Bacardí and a dozen classmates went to Paris. One was Antonio Maceo, son of Gen. Antonio Maceo, one of Cuba's liberators from Spain.

Fermoselle-Bacardí graduated first in his class in 1932 at the medical school at the University of Paris at Sorbonne, said his son, Joaquín Manuel. Fermoselle-Bacardí practiced medicine for a year in France and Spain. He returned to Cuba, only to be entangled again in controversy.

When the government and doctors couldn't agree on wages, the doctors appealed to the League of Nations, which ruled in their favor. The government refused to accept the binding decision, and the doctors went on strike in 1933.

Fermoselle-Bacardí was forced into exile again, this time in Costa Rica. He was still there in 1936, when he married his Cuban sweetheart, Fidelia Pedraza, by mail.

In the early 1940s, Fermoselle-Bacardí returned to Cuba. He served in the public health sector until 1950, when he was commissioned to WHO. He retired in 1970 and moved to Coral Gables eight years later.

In addition to his son and nephew, Fermoselle-Bacardí is survived by daughter-in-law Ada and two stepgrandchildren. His wife died in March.

A Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. today at St. Raymond Catholic Church, 3475 SW 17th St. Caballero-Rivero-Woodlawn Miami Funeral Home is handling arrangements.