History of Latin American Dermatology

ALDO EDGAR MARTÍNEZ CAMPOS, JORGE ISAAC NEIRA CUADRAFigure 1. Dr.Carlos Irigoyen,first Nicaraguandermatologisthospitalized patients became real prisoners, since they were not allowed to leave.Patients were moved around in special railroad cars, painted yellow and with the number79 as inscription, plus signs that indicated the type of people who traveled in them.In 1930, the patients escaped from Aserraderos Island, and most of them settled in ElViejo District, Department of Chinandega, which therefore became the main leprosyfocus in the country at that time. Another group settled in the Department of León.In 1932, the first National Leprosy Asylum was founded in the city of Managua withthe name of St. Lazarus, on the grounds that are currently taken by the Dr. FranciscoJosé Gómez Urcuyo National Dermatology Center, which the older inhabitants of Managuastill refer to as the “Leprosy Asylum.” These grounds were donated by Don AlfonsoPérez Alonso and Don Juan de Dios Matus; the latter was, owing to his love for hanseniasispatients, known as “John of Leprosy.” In its beginnings it hosted 38 patients.In 1934, Dr. Roberto Espinosa Sotomayor was appointed head of the St. Lazarus leprosarium;even though he was not a dermatologist, he combined his administrative activitieswith dermatological treatment of hanseniasis patients 3 .In 1943, the Board Against Leprosy was created, and the first doctor specializing inDermatology, Dr. Carlos Irigoyen — who had graduated in Mexico, a founder of theNicaraguan Society of Dermatology and of the Central American Society of Dermatology— was appointed to head it. In 1963, as General Secretary of the Central American Societyof Dermatology, he organized the Fourth Central American Congress of Dermatology4 (Figure 1).Subsequently, the medical management of the St. Lazarus leprosarium was takenover by Dr. Armando Morales Ettienne, a dermatologist who graduated in Argentina andwas a founding member of the Nicaraguan Society of Dermatology and of the CentralAmerican Society of Dermatology 5 .In subsequent years, the following Nicaraguan dermatologists returned to the country:• Dr. Jorge García Esquivel, who graduated in Mexico.• Dr. Alcides Delgadillo, founding member of the Nicaraguan Society of Dermatology.• Dr. Ernaldo Ávalos, who graduated in Argentina, a founding member of theNicaraguan Society of Dermatology.• Dr. Carlos Delgado, who graduated in France, a founding member of the NicaraguanSociety of Dermatology 6 .• Dr. Oscar Martínez Campos, who graduated in Argentina, a plastic surgeon and dermatologist;he was the president of the Nicaraguan Society of Dermatology and the associatesecretary before the Central American Society of Dermatology. He was also the Ministerof Social Security in 1997, and is currently a deputy for Nicaragua before the Central AmericanParliament. He has participated as a guest professor in many national congresses.• Dr. Josefa Pineda, who graduated in Argentina.• Dr. Sergio Delgado, who graduated in Puerto Rico.• Dr. Leonor Corea, who graduated in France.• Dr. Francisco José Gómez Urcuyo, who graduated in Mexico and Spain, and returnedto Nicaragua in 1975 (Figure 2).• Dr. Ángel Martínez Jiménez, who returned to our country in 1977, after havinggraduated in Brazil. He was the Faculty Head and Deputy Head of the National Center ofDermatology and a co-founder of the undergraduate and graduate Chairs of Dermatologyat the Autonomous National University of Nicaragua (León and Managua respectively).In 1991, the Autonomous National University of Nicaragua, Managua, marked itsappreciation for his ten years as a faculty member of the institution. He has participatedas a Guest Professor in many national congresses.• Dr. Juan José Guadamuz, who graduated in Mexico, was a full professor of the Chairof Dermatology (undergraduate) of the Medical School of the Autonomous National Universityof Nicaragua, León.274