Cosme Argerich
Encyclopedia
Cosme Mariano Argerich was a pioneer of military medical practices in Argentina
.
Born in Buenos Aires
, he became the first officer to be appointed as the Surgeon General in the Argentine Army
. He received his medical doctorate in 1783 from the Universidad de Cervera in Spain, and thereafter practiced medicine in Barcelona
until 1784. Returning to Argentina
that same year, he was instrumental in containing the smallpox
epidemics of 1794 and 1796, becoming the country's primary advocate for popular immunization
. During the English invasion attempts of 1806 and 1807, he distinguished himself in providing medical treatment to wounded soldiers. As a notable citizen of Buenos Aires, he took part of the debates which led to the May Revolution
, from 18 to 25 May 1810.
He was the primary proponent of the country's Instituto Medico Militar, founded on 13 March 1813. That same year, he was appointed as the organization's director, a position that he held until his death in 1820, overseeing the nation's premiere medical training facility. He was also commissioned in the Argentine Army as a surgeon
, and was responsible for training and establishing a medical corps
for General José de San Martín
's expeditionary force to Chile
that required crossing the Andes
mountain chain (a Hannibal-inspired military victory instrumental to securing the country's independence from Spain).
The main military hospital
in Buenos Aires is named after him.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, he became the first officer to be appointed as the Surgeon General in the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
. He received his medical doctorate in 1783 from the Universidad de Cervera in Spain, and thereafter practiced medicine in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
until 1784. Returning to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
that same year, he was instrumental in containing the smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemics of 1794 and 1796, becoming the country's primary advocate for popular immunization
Immunization
Immunization, or immunisation, is the process by which an individual's immune system becomes fortified against an agent ....
. During the English invasion attempts of 1806 and 1807, he distinguished himself in providing medical treatment to wounded soldiers. As a notable citizen of Buenos Aires, he took part of the debates which led to the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
, from 18 to 25 May 1810.
He was the primary proponent of the country's Instituto Medico Militar, founded on 13 March 1813. That same year, he was appointed as the organization's director, a position that he held until his death in 1820, overseeing the nation's premiere medical training facility. He was also commissioned in the Argentine Army as a surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
, and was responsible for training and establishing a medical corps
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
for General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
's expeditionary force to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
that required crossing the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountain chain (a Hannibal-inspired military victory instrumental to securing the country's independence from Spain).
The main military hospital
Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor Dr. Cosme Argerich
The Hospital Militar Central Cirujano Mayor Dr. Cosme Argerich also known as Hospital Militar Central is a hospital owned by the Argentine Army in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina for the use of military personnel and their families.- History :At the end of the War of the Triple Alliance...
in Buenos Aires is named after him.