History of Latin American Dermatology

M. MADERO, F. MADERO, G. MONTENEGRO, M. COELLO, C. ARIASdissolved for political reasons — including it within Epidemiology. Dr. Luis A. León contributeddiverse papers on Tropical Dermatology; the more important ones include “TreponemalEtiology of the Mottled Disease” and various investigations on leishmaniasis incollaboration with his son, Renato. He made other contributions in the realm of deep mycosessuch as rhinosporidiosis, coccidiodomycosis and paracoccidiodomycosis. At the BolivarianCongress of Dermatology held in Guayaquil in 1973, he presented the essay“Scabies in America.” He was also responsible in 1952 for the reporting of the existenceof onchocerciasis in the country, in his essay “On the Simulid Transmitters of the Disease.”It is worth pointing out that Dr. León was the Ecuadorian doctor who has publishedthe largest number of papers in the specialized field: more than 150 studies,published in foreign and national journals.The names of Drs. Holger Garzón, Jorge Ruiz and Galo Montenegro — the latter twohaving carried out their studies in the specialized field in Brazil — have in recent yearsbeen linked to the Chair of Dermatology.An event that was closely linked to the specialized field was the creation of our Society.After many frustrated attempts, in November 1977 the Society of Dermatology-QuitoNucleus was founded, an event that was given legal standing through ministerial agreementNo. 9956, on June 20, 1978, with Dr. Asdrúbal de la Torre being minister. Dr. RaúlMurgueytio was its first president, and Drs. Jorge Ruiz, Mario Sarzosa, Holger Garzón,Magdalena Vanoni and Galo Montenegro joined the group.In its bylaws, the first article stands out: “The Society was founded to encourage thestudy of dermatological diseases and to encourage friendship and professional cooperationamong its members.”The board of directors is renewed every two years. Its presidents have been Drs. MagdalenaVanoni, Jorge Ruiz, Galo Montenegro, Carlos Carvajal, Dolores Fusseu, RamiroCampuzano, Oswaldo Reyes, Julia Villanueva, Santiago Palacios and currently Dr. EduardoGarzón.Since its founding, its constant activity has been represented by the monthly sessionsof its members, held on the third Thursday of each month at the hospitals where itsmembers work, that is, Enrique Garcés del Sur Hospital, the Military Hospital, the EISSHospital, the Gonzalo González Dermatological Hospital, and, on some occasions, the VozAndes Hospital. The presentation of clinical cases is important, as well as considerationsregarding current dermatological problems.It is worth mentioning that, once the Society was formed, the Triangulars of Dermatologybegan to be held with the sponsorship of the U.S. Schering company; thus, thename of Mauricio Camilo Ede, at that time its manager, is tied to the history of Dermatology.The cities of Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca have always cordially received all membersto comment on the topics of greatest interest in Dermatology and to observe theclinical cases of greatest diagnostic difficulty. Later, the Triangulars were called “Sessions,”but the same attitude continued, in other words, exchanges among members andthe progress of the Society.In 1983, the Second Congress of Dermatology was held in Quito. National and foreignprofessors attended; the main topic debated with the contribution of the Quito Nucleuswas “Main Dermatoses in Regions of Ecuador.”The subject of leishmaniasis was also taken up by the Quito Nucleus at the First Congressof the specialized field held in Guayaquil, in 1981. During the Third Congress in Cuenca, thecollaboration subject was: “Study of Basocellular Epithelioma at the Quito Hospitals.”It is important to point out here the history of the Gonzalo González Dermatology Hospital,which grew in tandem with Dermatology in Quito. In 1785, leprosy patients wereisolated at the Lord’s Mercy Hospital. In 1882, they were sheltered at the St. Lazarus hospitaland insane asylum, where they received rigorous and inhumane isolation, sincethey were persecuted and then abandoned to their fate.200