Abstract

Ramón Carrillo's professional career and relationships before he became the first Secretary of Public Health in Argentina (1946) have not been thoroughly studied. First, this article analyzes a series of readers' letters published in La Semana Médica in the early 1940s. These letters shed light on the internal disputes that took place in the University of Buenos Aires' School of Medical Science during the competitive examinations for the Neurosurgery chair. Second, Carrillo's transition from this prestigious academic position to Acting Dean for the School of Medical Science will be examined. It is the relationships built during these years that enabled him to reach a privileged political position in government.