Medicine in the independence era and medical care reigned a healthy optimism. Well, despite the great economic limitations that had characterized the previous decades, the obstacles were being overcome one by one.
Medicine in the time of independence
In these times the dream of providing the country with a medical system provided with a network of good hospitals, research institutes and medical schools with up-to-date teaching was materializing and, at the same time, focused on the specific needs of the country and its settlers.
According to historian Lucas Alamán, at this time the medical profession was little appreciated, perhaps because of the hard work and low earnings.
In fact, the degrees of bachelor and doctor of medicine were awarded on October 11 of that year to a single candidate: Mr. Manuel de Jesús Feblés and Valdés. Such degrees had been conferred on Don Manuel Flores y Heras in 1809 and were not granted to anyone in the years 1810 and 1811.
Medicine in the time of independence; They were the first insurgent doctors! Did you know them?
In the early days of the insurgent movement, Dr. Jose Camano, who practiced medicine first in San Luis Potosí and later in Guanajuato. He joined the forces of Father Hidalgo during his stay in the latter city, from September 28 to November 24, 1810.
In the same period, mention is made of José Mariano Figueroa, 21 years old, a native of San Andrés Tuxtla and a surgery practitioner in Mexico City
Surgeons and fighters …
Several members of the hospital congregations acted as surgeons and also fought valiantly among the patriots. Thus, the layman Juanino Fray Luis de Herrera, who joined the rebel army when it passed through Celaya and was
appointed first surgeon.
We also know that in the mid-nineteenth century, some thirty years after independence was consummated. The Mexican capital had approximately 200 thousand inhabitants.
There were then 110 surgeons, 5 internists, 17 surgeons, 6 dentists, and 34 pharmacists, as well as 410 lawyers, 14 architects, 7 licensed civil engineers, and 8 patent surveyors.
The formation of medicine in the face of the State
On the eve of the last stage of the independence struggle (1820), surgeon Juan de Dios Linares He acted as a liaison between José Cristóbal Villaseñor, a resident of San Miguel el Grande, and Mr. Azcárate and other residents of the capital, all supporters of emancipation.
That same year the illustrious doctor was imprisoned in the court jail. Casimiro Liceaga, joined the emancipatory movement in which several of his relatives were active.
But he managed to escape six months later to return to the metropolis in the ranks of the Trigarante army. Liceaga had obtained the degree of bachelor of medicine in 1812, that of bachelor in 1818 and that of doctor in 1819, the year in which he held the chair of Prima de Medicina.
He returned to the university cloister in 1824 occupying the chair of Vespers of Medicine, to become in 1833 the first director of the “Establishment of Medical Sciences”, a position in which he had to remain 13 years. He was co-founder of the first Academy of Medicine of Mexico.
Insurgent doctors and surgeons Alfredo de Micheli-Serra.
Related Notes:
COVID ‘nightmare’ is coming in the following months according to experts
Coahuila, first state to vaccinate against COVID to minors between 12 and 17 years old
What Makes Vaccinated People More Prone to Serious COVID-19 Infections?