Surgeons as Book Owners in New Spain (1779-1818)

Abstract

Se muestran ejemplos de cirujanos novohispanos que poseyeron ricas bibliotecas, con obras de medicina y cirugía actualizadas, procedentes de autores escoceses, ingleses y franceses, traducidas al castellano. Asimismo poseían libros de botánica, farmacia, química, electricidad, algunos de arquitectura, varios de literatura e historia de España y sobre la Conquista de México. Los temas religiosos formaban parte mínima de su biblioteca, lo que indica una cultura plenamente ilustrada. En conclusión, se trata de personajes bien informados acerca de la literatura médica y quirúrgica contemporánea. We were able to rescue resident surgeons in New Spain who possessed special libraries; the Medicine and Surgery books they had were the most actualized, generally belonging to Scottish, English and French authors translated to Spanish. They also had works on Botany, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Electricity, some on Architecture, several over Spanish Literature and History of Mexico’s Conquest, which points to a completely illustrated culture; the titles on religion of those libraries where minimal. As conclusion, we can say that those surgeons owners of libraries were also largely informed about actualized Medical and Surgical literature.