El auge mundial de las neurociencias: XIV Congreso Internacional de Medicina (Madrid, 1903) / The worldwide expansion of the neurosciences: the 14th International Congress of Medicine (Madrid, 1903)

RESUMEN

Introducción. Las neurociencias se desarrollan de forma acelerada a lo largo del siglo XIX. En España, tras la indigencia intelectual del absolutismo fernandino, la medicina ha emergido con fuerza en el último tercio del siglo, liderada por la magna figura de Santiago Ramón y Cajal. En abril de 1903, y a pesar de los múltiples avatares políticos y sociales del país, Madrid organiza un gran encuentro médico (XIV Congreso Internacional de Medicina) que congrega a las máximas figuras de las neurociencias.Desarrollo. Este trabajo intenta describir la coyuntura de la neurología en esas fechas, así como el contexto sociopolítico, y destacar las aportaciones más importantes en nuestra especialidad. Conclusiones. Con la participación entusiasta de toda una generación médica mundial, se presentaron 1.681 comunicaciones y memorias, con gran protagonismo de los temas neurológicos. Destaquemos las intervenciones de Cajal, que describe la estructura histológica del tálamo óptico, y de Pavlov, que expone por primera vez la teoría de los reflejos condicionados (AU)

ABSTRACT

Introduction. The neurosciences developed at a swift pace throughout the 19th century. In Spain, following the intellectual poverty of the absolutist rule of King Ferdinand, medicine took on a new flourishing lease of life in the last third of the century under the leadership of its most distinguished proponent, Santiago Ramón y Cajal. In April 1903, and in spite of the country’s multiple political and social ups and downs, Madrid organised a great medical convention (14th International Congress of Medicine) that gathered together the foremost figures in the neurosciences. Development. This work attempts to describe the situation in which neurology found itself at that time, as well as the socio-political context, and to highlight the most important contributions that were made in our specialty. Conclusions. A whole medical generation from around the world enthusiastically took part and 1681 communications and papers were presented, many of which dealt with neurological topics. Special mention should be made of the presentations by Cajal, who described the histological structure of the optic thalamus, and by Pavlov, who gave details of his theory of conditioned reflexes for the very first time (AU)