Simón Bolívar y las cantáridas / Simon Bolivar and the cantharides
Rev. chil. infectol
; 24(5): 409-413, oct. 2007. ilus
Article
in Spanish
| HISA - History of Health
| ID: his-16469
Responsible library:
CL27.1
Localization: CL27.1
ABSTRACT
Simon Bolivar, The Liberator, did not trust medical care and if he ever requested a doctor, it seems to have been mainly politically motivated. Unfortunately his fears seem to have been correct as his death was accelerated by Dr. Revenand, a man whose medical title is yet under discussion, who applied an extract of cantharides, a beetle know as "the spanish fly", employed generally as an aphrodisiac, over Bolivar's neck region. According to popular belief of the time, cantharidin, the insect's active principle reduced "the excess of humours", such as cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, "pituita" and others. Cantharidin has severe adverse effects and was for sure the origin of great suffering for many unfortunate patients in the past.(AU)
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Collection:
Tematic databases
Health context:
SDG3 - Health and Well-Being
/
Neglected Diseases
/
SDG3 - Target 3.3 End transmission of communicable diseases
Health problem:
Target 3.3: End transmission of communicable diseases
/
Neglected Diseases
/
Tuberculosis
/
Tuberculosis
Database:
HISA - History of Health
Main subject:
Tuberculosis
/
Famous Persons
/
History of Medicine
Limits:
Humans
Language:
Spanish
Journal:
Rev. chil. infectol
Year:
2007
Document type:
Article
Institution/Affiliation country:
Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna/Chile