History of Latin American Dermatology

History of Ecuadorian DermatologyThe Twentieth Century (1900-1950)At the beginning of the century, it was already possible to perceive a certain inclinationtowards Dermatology among clinical doctors on the Ecuadorian coast, and theirvaluable observations began to be known through the journals of the times. Among thosepublications, we mention the following:—José Ramón Boloña, “¿Do Blastomycosis and Leishmaniasis Exist in Ecuador?,” Act.Trab. I Cong. Med. Ecuat. Vol II, 97, 1917;—José Darío Moral, “American Leishmaniasis,” Bol. Med. Cir. Year XVIII, 132, 73,1920; and “Bullosa Plantaris Dermatitis,” Bol. Med. Cir. Year XXIII, 140, 67, 1921;—Juan Federico Heinert, “Acute Vesicular Dermatitis,” An. Soc. Med. Quir. Guay. VolVII, 163, 1927;—J. Insua Hilaron, “Fungi That Cause the More Common Human Dermatomycosis inGuayaquil” (Ph.D. Thesis), Rev. Univ. Guay. Year IV, 1, 128, 1933.As the century advanced, attention to skin ailments grew. In addition to the names ofeminent clinicians who presented publications on the subject — such as Alfredo ValenzuelaValverde, Armando Pareja Coronel, José Falconí Villagómez — there were alsodoctors who began to show a preferential interest in Dermatology, like José Víctor PayeseGault, with whom the Dermatology Chair was started at Guayaquil University’s MedicalSchool, which was initially called “Urology, Venereal Diseases and Dermatology.”When Dr. Payese died, he was succeeded by Dr. Gustavo Adolfo Fassio; at that time,the Chair was split, and began to be called “Dermatology Chair.”Dermatology as a Specialized Field (1950-2005)Toward mid-twentieth century, in the Ecuadorian coastal region, and specifically inGuayaquil — a city that we take as reference because it was the one with the largest populationand medical development in the region — Dermatology was seen as part of internalmedicine, and, as such, was practiced mainly by clinical doctors. Towards the late1940s, some clinical doctors began to show a special dedication to problems of the skin,and a new mentality began to emerge, sketching the beginnings of Dermatology as a specializedfield.The definitive change occurred with two events that happened in the 1950s. The firstwas the creation of Dermatology services at our hospitals; the second, the emergence ofdoctors with exclusive dedication to Dermatology, among whom were the first specialistswho had graduated as dermatologists abroad, and who contributed new ideas that wereimmediately welcome.The first hospital service providing dermatological treatment in the city of Guayaquilwas created in 1952, at the St. Louise Ward of the “Luis Vernaza” Hospital, of theGuayaquil Welfare Council; this service had Dr. Enrique Uraga Peña as its creator andfirst head.Shortly afterwards, the Dermatology Service at the Vernaza Hospital brought in Drs.Wenceslao Ollague Loayza — who graduated as dermatologist from the Madrid ProfessionalSchool of Dermatology — and Luis Carvajal Huerta, who, together with Dr. UragaPeña, were the initiators of Guayaquil Dermatology.With this background, the time was right for the development of Dermatology and,consequently, the number of doctors who devoted themselves to the specialized field increased.Some were trained in our hospital wards and others had the chance to studyabroad. Thus there came, among many others, Drs. Espinoza Bravo, Arcos, Lasso andMurgueytio in Quito; L. Cordero, J. Vintimilla, A. Quezada and C. Arias in Cuenca,and G. Fassio, W. Ollague and L. Carvajal in Guayaquil, who, together with those already191