Argentina (currently known as Argentine Republic) was established as a Spanish colonial territory. In 1816, the country declared its independence. Named after a precious metal, silver the country is well known for its strong soccer traditions. The country has on of the oldest university medical schools in Latin America. First university medical school was set up in Buenos-Aries in 1821-22, with curriculum modeled around contemporary Spanish, British and French systems. Over last two centuries University of Buenos Aries (UBA) has produced leading medical personalities, many of whom have featured in its postage stamps.
Luis Agote
In 1966, Argentina issued a postage stamp set on its scientists. One of the postage stamp featured Luis Agote, a doctor trained at UBA, whose ground-breaking work on blood storage led to first successful indirect blood transfusion. He leveraged the discovery made by a Belgian doctor Albert Hustin, that blood does not clot, when Sodium Citrate was added to it. Agote performed first successful transfusion of stored human blood on November 9, 1914, in a classroom at the Instituto Modelo de Clínica Médica (Argentina).
Later discoveries on dose of sodium citrate, successful storage of blood, and ability to refrigerate led to beginning of first blood banks in 1917. Agote chose not to patent his discovery. He later moved on to occupy leadership positions in Argentina.
Miguel Fernandez
Dr. Miguel Fernández was born in Germany, and studied Zoology in Switzerland. After his doctorate in 1904, he moved to Argentina. Miguel Fernández was the pioneer of the development of genetics in Argentina, much before the specialty took roots elsewhere.
Pedro Arata
Pedro Arata graduated in Pharmacy, after completing medical school. He was rector and Dean of Argentina’s Instituto Superior de Agronomía y Veterinaria, and helpoed establish Chemical Sciences in Agronomy and Veterinary sciences.
Arata’s work in medicine, pharmacy and chemistry links this scientific portrait to the foundations of healthcare; Argentina | 1969 | Hombres de ciencia, segunda serie – Cristóbal M. Hicken | 6 pesos | A. Boero (as inscribed) | —
Hicken’s botanical work highlights the systematic study of plants within Argentina’s scientific heritage; Argentina | 1969 | Hombres de ciencia, segunda serie – Eduardo L. Holmberg | 6 pesos | A. Boero (as inscribed) | —
Holmberg’s career joins medical training with natural history and the literary arts; Argentina | 1969 | Hombres de ciencia, segunda serie – Ángel P. Gallardo | 6 pesos | A. Boero (as inscribed) | Scott 899
The portrait honours Gallardo’s contributions to biology and scientific education; Argentina | 1969 | Hombres de ciencia, segunda serie – Miguel Fernández | 6 pesos | A. Boero (as inscribed) | Scott 898
Muniz, Gutierrez, Pirovano and Maradona
In 1996, Argentina issued another postage stamp set on its doctors. These featured four doctors Francisco Javier Muñiz (1795-1871), Ricardo Gutierrez (1836-1896), Ignacio Pirovano (1844-1895) and Esteban Laureano Maradona (1895-1995). Muniz was a Military surgeon and studied at UBA. Later he became a faculty of Medicine at the same university. He other interest was in fossils and paleontology. In 1871, he died of Yellow fever during the Buneos Aries epidemic.
Maradona’s portrait honours a life devoted to providing medical care in underserved rural communities.
Gutierrez was a Doctor as well as a Lawyer. He specialized in diseases of children, being considered one of the first specialists in Argentina. In 1946 a Children’s hospital in Buenos Aries, he helped establish, was named after him. Pirovano was a surgeon, who performed the first Laparotomy (a major abdominal surgery) in Argentina. He trained in France, after obtaining his initial medical qualifications, and was also the first to get a microscope in the country. Maradona was a doctor who worked in remote countryside, and worked with indigenous communities on economic, cultural, humanitarian, and social issues.
Argerich, Ramos Mejía, Mazza, and Gianantonio
In 2002, Argentina issued another set on four doctors. This set was much enhanced in design, and also carried signatures of the four medics. The set featured Cosme Mariano Argerich (1758 – 1820) who was a pioneer of military medical practices in Argentina. He studied in Spain, returnd back to Argentina and served in its army. Main military hospital in Buenos Aries is named after him.
José María Ramos Mejía (1849–1914) was a doctor and also a politician. His medical works included studies in Psychiatry and Nerve Pathology. Salvador Mazza (1886 – 1946) was a physician and an epidemiologist, best known for his work related to control of Chagas disease. He worked with noted microbiologists Carlos Chagas, and Charles Nicolle. He also helped to establish various scientific societies in the country. Carlos Arturo Gianantonio (1926–1995) was a pediatrician, and in 1958 initiated the first pediatric residency program in Argentina. His clinical work was on Hemolytic uremic Syndrome and Pediatric Nephrology.
Julia Lanteri
Julieta Lanteri was the first women to enrol in a college in Argentina, and in 1898 she earned a degree in Pharmacology from University of Buenos Aires. It was tough for women to enrol in medical school, and in 1907 when she graduated as a physician, she was the fifth women to do so in her country.
The portrait and rights quotation honour a physician whose advocacy challenged barriers to women’s participation in public life. The quote on the postage stamp says “Rights are not begged for, they are earned”.
René Favaloro
In 1911 Julieta became the first women to vote in any election in South America. However the same year, Argentine electoral law was changed and enrollment in a military service was a necessary requirement to vote. It was mandatory for men to serve in the army, and women were again eliminated from voting. Her struggles became sucessful 15 years after her death, as women were allowed to vote in Argentina, only in 1947.
Rene Favaloro (1923-2000) was an Argentinian cardiac surgeon who trained at the Cleveland Clinic. He pioneered successful use of saphenous vein (a vein in the leg) to be used as a conduit to bypass blocked coronary arteries. He performed his first bypass in 1967, and by 1970 he had done more than a thousand bypass surgeries. Thus a popular technique of coronary artery bypass grafting (or CABG) was born.
He established cardiac surgery training center in Argentina, and a Favaloro foundation. Over next three decades, he trained countless of cardiac surgeons across Latin America. However by the year 2000, his foundation was in a huge debt. Not able to find any financial support, he did after he had shot himself in the chest.
