Peste blanca y montañas mágicasLa tuberculosis en Canarias (1900-1950)

Abstract

This paper studies the development of tuberculosis, its prevention and treatment during the first half of the xxth century in the Canary Islands. Moreover, the change from tuberculosis viewed as a disease belonging to the medical tourism carried out by wealthy sick persons to a true and real social one affecting mainly the Canary peasantry, is shown. This thought will be one of the most relevant ones about tuberculosis adduced by the great Canary specialist Tomás Cerviá, who lanned the fight against tuberculosis by means of idoneous diagnostic and preventive measures and the creation of the following facilities: a dispensary, a sanatorium and a preventive centre. The great adventure of Cerviá and his team finished about the mid xxth century with the arrival of the specific antituberculous drugs.