History of Latin American Dermatology

ALDO EDGAR MARTÍNEZ CAMPOS, JORGE ISAAC NEIRA CUADRAFigure 3. Left toright: HermannSchäffer, AldoEdgar MartínezCampos,Francisco JoséGómez Urcuyo, atthe homage paidby theNicaraguanAssociation ofDermatology toDr. GómezUrcuyoand environmental conditions of hospitalized patients. For the first time,dermatology patients had their own hospital, where they stayed to receivemedical treatment. Under his administration, patients withHansen’s disease institutionally received rifampicin, clofazimine and DDStreatment (Figure 3).He was also a co-founder of the Society of Friends of Lepers, throughwhich it became possible to build the Adilia de Eva Citadel, made up ofseventeen hygienic houses, independent of one another, for patients tohave modest but dignified housing with the privacy that every family hasat home. At present, seventeen patients live in this citadel; these patients are alreadycured, but they still receive medical treatment, food and all the necessary materials fortheir care. They are all seniors, and they live in the company of their children and grandchildren,making up a population of forty-one people. These buildings were built on thegrounds of the hospital itself and are separated from those occupied by patients hospitalizedfor other pathologies. It must be pointed out that the government at the time didnot invest one cent in the construction of these houses. Single patients live in separatewards for men and women. The citadel carries the name of Mrs. Adilia de Eva, in honorto this admirable matron who worked hard in its construction and who felt special devotionand love for the sick with leprosy.Dr. Gómez Urcuyo created the Social Welfare and Promotion Department to treathanseniasis patients in a multidisciplinary fashion. Through his activity, it became possibleto integrate some mutilated patients to family life; carpentry workshops werefounded, and training was given for them to learn the carpentry and cabinetwork trades,with great success, since some patients, in spite of their mutilations, became productiveand more useful to their families. In 1980, Gómez Urcuyo participated in a field study todetermine new cases of leprosy in the Chinandega and Managua departments.He was a guest professor in various national and international congresses, where hepresented his works and personal experiences. In 1980, he founded the undergraduateChair of Dermatology of the Autonomous National University of Nicaragua (Managua).He was a co-founder of the graduate Chair of Dermatology of the Autonomous NationalUniversity of Nicaragua (León and Managua). On two occasions, he was the AssociateSecretary for Nicaragua before the Central American Society of Dermatology. In 1991, hewas given recognition for his ten years of educational work at the Autonomous NationalUniversity of Nicaragua (Managua). In 1994, the Honduran Society of Dermatology, in acknowledgmentfor his merits, appointed him a Member of Honor.One of the oldest hanseniasis patients at the National Center of Dermatology, Mr.Pedro Delgadillo 7 , in a demonstration of affection, respect and thankfulness, dedicatedhim the following poem:My doctor is a young nica, he is an adventurer.Of all the employees, he is the first to arrive at work.He is the researcher of my spinal cord and my withered skin,He is the repairer of my blood,Who, when I get angry, becomes upset.His name, like his signature,Among colleagues is respected.When he visits me and does not prescribe me anythingI keep quiet out of respect, because I love him.As he says,My great desire isThat on the path that He treadsThere be neither burrs nor chains276