History of Latin American Dermatology

A. LANDER, J. PIQUERO, A. RONDÓN, O. REYES, B. TRUJILLO, H. VARGASinitially headed by Hugo Naranjo A., and then successively by Drs. Glenda Cortez de Castro,Carlos de la Cabada and Fátima Ferreira.Other hospital Care Centers have maintained an intense health care and teaching activity:the Caracas Children’s Hospital, the Social Security Center for Dermatology and Allergy,and the Luis Razetti hospital 4, 5 .Sexually transmitted diseasesIn July of 1938, the Venereology Division (within the then Health and Social WelfareMinistry) was created, which was charged with antivenereal services and dispensaries invarious cities throughout the country. They were outfitted with laboratory equipmentand medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases. The fight against venerealdiseases was led by R. Sánchez Peláez, Carlos Julio Alarcón, Rafael Medina, CornelioArévalo Morales and Mari Carmen Ferreiro.Sexually transmitted diseases are treated at specialized outpatient departments usuallyattached to the general Dermatology outpatient offices.Besides medical care, the Venereology Division at present supplies medical informationthrough conferences, scientific meetings, internships, training and courses 4 .■ SubfieldsMYCOLOGYCare, diagnosis and treatment centers are located in the city of Caracas, in the Mycologylaboratories of hospitals’ Dermatology Services and specialized outpatient offices,staffed with specialists in this area. The specialized area was launched as an organizedservice by Drs. Dante Borelli and María Bastardo de Albornoz, the latter being thefounder of the Mycology laboratory at the Biomedical Institute. At present this laboratoryis headed by Mireya Mendoza and Dr. Elsy Cavallera.Dr. Dante Borelli founded the laboratory and outpatient offices at the Caracas UniversityHospital, which has been headed successively by Drs. Homagdy Rodríguez deArévalo and Ángela Ruiz.During many years Dr. Carmen Marcano, together with Dr. Dante Borelli, headed theInstitute of Tropical Medicine.There are also numerous referral centers in various cities in the interior of the country,headed by specialists in this area, who are coordinated by Dr. María Cecilia Albornozwith the invaluable cooperation of Dr. Tulio Briceño Maaz (a dermatologist and historian).They are 4 : Ciudad Bolívar, Julman Cermeño and Ismery Cabello; Valencia, Rosa O.de Briceño; Coro, Francisco Yegres; Barquisimeto, Segundo Barroeta, Ramón Zamoraand Carolina Rojas; Maturín, Sara Rodulfo; Cumaná, Anabella Smitter de Sanabria; Trujillo,José V. Scorza; Maracaibo, Hernán Vargas Montiel.LEPROLOGY AND SANITARY DERMATOLOGY SERVICESMedical care, consultation, diagnosis and treatment are centered in the BiomedicalInstitute and the Dispensaries for Sanitary Dermatology, located in the Sanitary Units inthe capitals of the various states. Dr. Nacarid Aranzazu has headed the Central Serviceof the Ministry of Health for the last 30 years.Treatment and control of these ailments is carried out for free, both for patients andfor their families. In the case that hospitalization of a patient is required, this is done atone of the Dermatology Services of the various hospitals.426