History of Latin American Dermatology

M. MADERO, F. MADERO, G. MONTENEGRO, M. COELLO, C. ARIASFigure 22. Dr. JoséMogrovejo Carrión,first professor ofDermatology at theMedical School ofCuencaFigure 23.Inauguration of theDecantation Plant fordrinking water inCuenca, 19281944, after a reorganization of the Medical School, Dr. Luis A. Sojos continued in chargeof the Chair of External Pathology, which included Dermatology, and new professors whoare worth mentioning joined: Drs. Juan Idrovo A. (Surgery), Leoncio Cordero J. (Histology)— a prestigious physician who would later contribute to a large extent to the developmentof Dermatology, not only in Azuay, but also nationwide — and Alberto AlvaradoC. (Anatomy), among others 14 .Since 1950, within the School syllabus, the Dermatology course was included in thepensum corresponding to Fifth Year, under the name of Dermatological, Venereal andSyphilography Clinic; other courses included Therapeutic Clinic, Pediatrical Clinic andChild Care, Surgical Technique and Hygiene and Public Health.The syllabus launched in 1950 remained basically unchanged, with frequent variationsin some courses, up to the First Seminar on National Medical Education, held inSeptember 1967 in Guayaquil. At that Seminar, the “unification of syllabuses” was addressedonce again and with passion; this unification was achieved after long discussions;some small changes were made, but the fundamentals were kept until 1970. Wemust point out that these reforms did not affect the Dermatology course, which is still includedin the Fifth-Year pensum, even though it has been expanded 14 .In May 1960, during the deanship of Dr. Leoncio Cordero J. (1958-1964), the SchoolBoard, in view of the merits of Drs. Luis C. Jaramillo and José Mogrovejo Carrión, formerprofessors of the School — who had not been honored at the time — resolved toname them Honorary Professors of the University of Cuenca Medical School 14 .In October 1961, the offer by Social Welfare of two hectares of land in the El Vergelarea, next to the Hospital, was officially announced; however, only in March 1964 was itreported that the University Council had allocated a budget for the construction of theSchool Ward, next to the new Hospital; at that time, the Social Welfare’s land donationdocuments were signed 14 . In May 1967, during the deanship of Dr. TimoleónCarrera Cobos (1966-1967), the cornerstone of the new, current MedicalSchool was laid 14 (Figure 24, 25).Various professors (clinicians) of the School have been part of the DermatologyCahir of the University of Cuenca, assigned by the Governing Board,such as Nicolás Sojos (Figure 26) Leoncio Cordero (Figure 27) and Jaime Vintimilla14, 32 .Until 1960, Dr. Jaime Vintimilla, who traveled to Colombia to complete specializedstudies in the area of Psychiatry, was in charge of the Chair of Dermatology;at that time, Dr. Claudio Arias Argudo (Figure 28) entered the School assubstitute professor and was entrusted with the Chair due to his experience, having beena student of the famous Prof. Enrique Uraga Peña (Figure 29) at the “St. Louise” ward ofGuayaquil’s Vernaza Hospital. Later, on February 28, 1962, Dr. Arias Argudo won the selectionprocess set up by the School for the Chair of Pharmacology; he was then appointedassociate professor of Pharmacology and continued in charge of the Chair ofDermatology. In November 1975, he was appointed full-time standing professor of InternalMedicine and Dermatology 18 . With the incorporation of Dr. Claudio Arias Argudo —who took part in a Dermatology course in 1964 in the Republic of Uruguay with the sponsorshipof the University of Montevideo and later, in 1976, in an advanced higher coursein Dermatology in Vienna 19 — the School had a specialized professor, with the consequentbenefit for scientific education in that discipline. In 1966, practical Dermatologybegan to be offered, with the examination of patients in the Dermatology outpatient officeof the St. Vincent de Paul Hospital; and, following the inauguration of the new VicenteCorral Moscoso Hospital (1977) (Figure 30), Dr. Arias took over the outpatientoffice of Dermatology for one year 19 . Let us also recall that, before leaving the country,Dr. Arias Argudo occupied the Deanship of the Medical School between 1976 and1978 14 . Another important event in the life of Dr. Arias was that, in 1991, during the210