History of Latin American Dermatology

Historical sketch of Chilean Dermatologyhave been those published by Arthur Rook et al. and Thomas Fitzpatrick et al. in theirsuccessive editions. In specialized subjects, those published by Sydney Hurwitz (PediatricDermatology), Mark Dahl (Immunodermatology), Walter Lever and Bernard Ackerman(Dermatopathology), among others. This reveals the significant change in influences onChilean Dermatology: from French to British and U.S. Dermatology.Overviews of some dermatological disciplinesPediatric Dermatology■ Overviews of some dermatological disciplinesUntil 1950 children’s dermatological diseases were treated by general pediatriciansand dermatologists, without much exploration of their wide spectrum not dedication tothem as a central goal of treatment. Those who opened up the path for the developmentand the progress of child Dermatology were Ignacio González Díaz (trained as a dermatologist)and Pedro Cofré (trained as a pediatrician), who, in Santiago, took on the handlingof child Dermatology at the Roberto del Río and Calvo Mackenna pediatrichospitals, respectively.In 1958, Dr. González was sent by UCH to carry out two crucial tasks: creating the undergraduatechair and dermatological treatment at the Barros Luco Hospital (which laterentailed the creation of that hospital’s Dermatology Service), and launching dermatologicalcare at the Roberto del Río Hospital belonging to UCH; he was the first dermatologistlinked to a Chilean pediatric hospital. From that position, he contributed not only totraining scholarship-holding residents in general pediatrics and in Dermatology, but toestablishing the basis of child Dermatology.The only structure with beds and outpatient care at Chilean hospitals that receivedthe name of “child Dermatology service” was created at the Roberto del Río Hospital atan uncertain date, presumably before 1960; its chiefs were successively IgnacioGonzález, María Elsa Maira and Julia Oroz, until it was suppressed in 1976. As of 1966and for some years, Alan Rojas collaborated with Dr. González in treatment work. JuliaOroz, who had concluded her residency in pediatrics in 1965, trained as a dermatologistbetween 1968 and 1970 at the above-mentioned hospital and with Dr. Hevia at theAguirre Hospital; after working for some time in Valdivia, she returned in 1973 to takeover the child Dermatology care at the Roberto del Río Hospital left vacant by Dr.González who retired in 1972. During that interval, treatment was provided by the pediatricianMaría Elsa Maira, who had worked with González in the 1970-1972 period. Dr.Oroz has, since then, been in charge of the practical and theoretical education in childDermatology of the vast majority of scholarship-holding residents in Dermatology whohave been sent to her by Chile’s universities, thus turning into an essential pillar of thedevelopment of this subject thanks to her drive, desire for improvement and capacity tostimulate the new generations.From 1976 to 1990 she was joined by another pediatrician, Winston Martínez, who atthe same time completed his training as a dermatologist. Dr. Martínez was replaced bySergio Silva in 1990. In 1983, a new post was created expressly for dermatological care,filled successively by Gabriela Smoje, Paulina Grandi and Paula Castillo.Pedro Cofré, the other central figure in the early days of child Dermatology in Chile,was a pediatrician at the Calvo Mackenna Hospital (eastern area) with a great interestin treating children with dermatological problems. This led him to train in Dermatologysimultaneously with his friend and fellow medical student Hernán Hevia at the AguirreHospital between 1959 and 1960; then, around 1961, at the Calvo Mackenna Hospital,he launched the second outpatient office in Dermatology at a Chilean children’s hospital,where he worked as the sole full-time dermatologist until his retirement in 1973. He was175