On the History of Medicine

The author reflects on his medical career, beginning with his graduation in 1973 and his professional registration signed by Miller Guerra. He pays tribute to Miller Guerra, a distinguished neurologist, academic, and politician, recalling a 1966 lecture where Guerra argued that modern, effective medicine is a relatively recent development, spanning only about 100 years. The author supports this view by highlighting the dramatic increase in life expectancy from the mid-19th century to the present, driven by key scientific breakthroughs such as anesthesia, antisepsis, the germ theory of disease, X-rays, aspirin, and radioactivity.