RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The manuscript of the Doctoral Thesis of Joaquín Albarrán in the Faculty of Medicine in Paris "Étudesur le Rein des Urinaires" has been donated to Asociación Española de Urología. Direct comparison of the original and printed material gives information of the production process of this master work. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Direct comparison between the original hand-written work, a single hard bound volume covered with loin cloth and water paper composed of 145 numbered pages plus 206 newly numbered pages of clinico-pathological (37 subjects) and experimental (19 assays in 20 rabbits) data, and the printed work edited by Georges Steinheil in 1889. Prints included 4 plates with 14 figures, 9 temperature charts and 5 tables describing urine examinations. Figures were trichromic and charts and tables black & white. Chromolithographs were produced by Mr. Leuba in the printing owned by Lemercier et Cie, Paris. RESULTS: The original work was completed in 1887 without any correction or deletion. Differences are noticeable between the text in the master and printed works: rearrangement of data and inclusion of a new clinical observation, 5 new experiments, summary and dedications. Changes in iconography are noticeable. The masterwork included 24 plates (numbered from 1 to 22, 13bis, 16bis) with 46 figures (44 colored) integrated within the text and 26 double-page temperature registries that accompany clinical observations. Anatomical, histological and microbiological illustrations, including culture media, microbiological stains and histobacteriological preparations were depicted as watercolors (44%), watercolors mixed with pencil or ink (52%) or pencil drawings (4%). Four (9%) were signed by the author, 5 (11%) had numerical annotations and only 14 (30%) were definitely printed with loss of the black component and redrawn of 4/14 (29%) images. The largest images were not printed. CONCLUSIONS: Joaquín Albarrán described and beautifully illustrated himself the role "pyogenic bacillus" (E. coli) played in renal infection, bacteriemia, renal failure sepsis and patient death. The evolution of pyelonephritis to perinephritis and perinephric abscess was masterly interpreted, with new description of ascending infection and lymphatic peritubular dissemination of bacteria. The differences detected between written and printed work are numerous and can be explained by the corrections of Prof. Guyon before definite presentation and the technical process to perform the lithographs.
Asunto(s)
Tesis Académicas como Asunto/historia , Urología/historia , Cuba , Historia del Siglo XIX , Historia del Siglo XX , Paris , Facultades de MedicinaRESUMEN
CONTEXT: In tribute to the memory of Joaquín Albarrán in the centenary of his death, we review his biography, comment his work and highlight his urological activity as one of the most important persons of international Urology. The literature on his person and texts has been reviewed. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Born in Cuba, he studied Medicine in Barcelona, graduating with an outstanding level 1877. He went to Paris to extend his studies where he settled and began an extraordinary professional career that led him to be a Professor of the Urinary Tract in the Parisian University and Chief of the Urology Clinic in the Hospital Necker, a pioneer center of specialization that was attended by many physicians from all nations world. He wrote five books on urology disease, of great importance in the literature on the specialty. These books are currently classics and still maintain their validity due to the profound anatomy-clinical and pathophysiological knowledge explained and the extraordinary description of the urinary tract operation techniques. CONCLUSIONS: An eminent urologist, not only because of the importance of his word but also due to design of the nail that carries his name as well as different urological eponyms, his human stature, his category as an investigator and his scientific excellence. Because of presence in Paris, the most important Spanish urologists were prepared at his side, this contributing to the rebirth and boom of the Urology in Spain.