2000, Number 2
Rev Biomed 2000; 11 (2)
Legal or forensic medicine in Yucatan, Mexico
Erosa-Barbachano A
Full text
Language: Spanish
References: 4
Page: 123-127
PDF size: 26.06 Kb.
ABSTRACT
From the founding of the city of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico in 1542 to 1580, Dr Juan del Rey was the army doctor and the Director of the military hospital and therefore he intervened in some legalmedical reports. This practice continued during the following centuries.In the eighteeth century an institution called "Protomedicato" was created in Mexico City by royal decree, this institution was responsible for some legal resolutions. There was no colegiate body of this kind in Yucatan, however Dr. Cipriano Blanco was named "Subdelegado del Protomedicato" in Campeche at the beginning of the nineteeth century.
From 1804, Dr. Alejo Dancourt was responsible for the official procedures in Merida until 1834 when Dr. Ignacio Vado Lugo assumed the responsability, being the Director of the School of Medicine of Yucatan, until he died in 1853. On October 4, 1869, a new plan of studies was approved by the School of Medicine of Yucatan, establishing the chair of Toxicology and Legal Medicine with Dr. Juan Antonio Pérez Galvez at its head.
On March 31, 1882, the Governer Octavio Rosado issued a decree creating positions for two forensic experts and named Dr. Juan Nicoli and Dr. Fernando Casares Martínez de Arredondo to occupy these positions; later on November 16, 1883, Dr. Andres Saenz de Santa María y García Rejón and Dr. José de Jesús Castro López were designated for these positions. Then, in 1889, there was a competitive examination for the Chair of Forensic Medicine in the School of Medicine which Dr. Saenz won. In 1907, Dr. Castro resigned and Dr. Juan Wenceslao Miro y Pérez was appointed to take his place and was on duty until 1913 when he was substituted by Dr. José González Palma. The Department of Forensic Medicine was created in 1918 and Dr. Saenz was designated General Director who occupied this post until December 31, 1924. On Dr. Saenz's retirement, Dr. José Castro Fortuny was appointed in his place. In 1942, Dr. González Palma died and Dr. Avelino Ruiz Sansores was appointed in his place. In 1945, Dr. Castro was substituted by Dr. Oswaldo Riera Cardeña. In 1950, Dr. Gonzalo Marcin Cervera was designated. Dr. Riera resigned in 1951 and was replaced by Dr. Delio Angel Aguilar Vasquez. In January 1979, Dr. José Francisco Cambranis Puga was designated for the leadership of the Department. In 1984, Dr. Jorge Hadad Herrera took up the leadership; in 1986 Dr. Juan M. Alvarez was named and he held the position until 1990 when he was taken over by Dr. Fernando Olivares Alcocer. In 1995, Dr. Hadad Herrera once again assumed the leadership of the foresic medical service. In 1987, the Yucatecan Society of Forensic Medicine, which grouped together all the foresic proffesionals, was founded.
REFERENCES