%0 Journal Article
%T Sleep in the Work of Marcos José Salgado, Author of the First Book of Physiology in the Americas, Published in 1727
%A Gonzalo Flores
%A Carlos Manuel Fern¨¢ndez-S¨¢nchez
%A Alejandro Valdes-Cruz
%A Julio Cesar Morales-Medina
%J Advances in Historical Studies
%P 368-379
%@ 2327-0446
%D 2015
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ahs.2015.45026
%X Sleep and wakefulness are functions of the central nervous system (CNS) that are altered in numerous
psychiatric disorders. Interestingly, Marcos Jos¨¦ Salgado published in 1727 his book
which is considered the first book of Physiology in the American continent and entitled ¡°Cursus
Medicus Mexicanus¡± (Figure 1) that suggests the use of drugs to regulate brain functions and their
therapeutic action on sleep. In the work of Salgado, the concepts of sleep and wakefulness are offered
using Hippocratic and Galenic knowledge to explain the pathophysiology of both functions.
Today those concepts might be considered wrong. However, taking into account the historical
moment and the intrinsic value of the text written in Latin, this manuscript is unique. Considered
by art critics as valuable, there are only eight original copies of this book. In the present report, we
discussed paragraph by paragraph the chapter ¡°Sleep and wakefulness¡±, the work of this Medical
Doctor of the New Spain.
%K History of Medicine
%K New Spain
%K Eighteenth Century
%K Sleep
%K Marcos Jos&#233
%K Salgado
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=62371