Gustavo Cáceres Castro (Guayaquil, Ecuador, April 1954) was a prominent Ecuadorian physician, historian, and author known for his contributions to the history of medicine in Ecuador. A graduate of the University of Guayaquil’s Faculty of Medicine, he practiced at the Hospital Teodoro Maldonado Carbo and later taught embryology at his alma mater. Cáceres authored several influential works on Ecuador’s medical heritage, including Diccionario Básico de Terminología y Personajes de la Medicina Ecuatoriana (1989) and Medicina Guayaquileña (2023), which explore the evolution of medical practices and figures from the 18th and 19th centuries. His interests extended to poetry, winning him a first prize from the Municipality of Guayaquil in 1990, and his poem appeared in the anthology Cantos a Guayaquil (2011). Now retired, he remains a regular lecturer at the Archivo Histórico del Guayas, where he shares his research on traditional and scientific medical practices.
Early Life and Education
Gustavo Cáceres Castro was born in April 1954. He pursued his medical degree at the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he completed his studies in medicine in 1980. This educational foundation in medicine sparked a lifelong interest in the historical and cultural aspects of medical practice, which Cáceres explored throughout his career.
Medical and Academic Career
After graduating as a doctor in medicine and surgery, Cáceres began practicing at the Hospital Teodoro Maldonado Carbo (IESS) in Guayaquil, where he specialized in embryology and was also an instructor at the University of Guayaquil’s Faculty of Medicine. His dual roles as a practicing physician and educator solidified his reputation in Ecuador’s medical community and allowed him to cultivate his interest in medical history, a field in which he later published extensively.
Literary Career
Gustavo Cáceres Castro’s contributions to literature are primarily focused on Ecuador’s medical history, but his interests also encompass poetry.
Historical Works
Cáceres’s first major work, Diccionario Básico de Terminología y Personajes de la Medicina Ecuatoriana (1989), is a comprehensive guide to Ecuadorian medical terminology and notable figures, widely referenced in Ecuador’s academic institutions. His subsequent book, Medicina en la Prehistoria Ecuatoriana (1991), examines indigenous medical practices, comparing ancient techniques to modern methods. In 2002, he published La Biblia: Medicina para el Cuerpo y el Alma, exploring medical references in religious texts.
Most recently, he published Medicina Guayaquileña. Instituciones y Personajes Precursores. Siglos XVIII y XIX (2023), a detailed study of 18th- and 19th-century medical practices in Guayaquil, documenting traditional beliefs, scientific advancements, and the origins of vaccination efforts in the city.
Poetry
In addition to his historical works, Cáceres has a passion for poetry. In 1990, he won a first prize in children’s poetry from the Municipality of Guayaquil, and one of his poems was later included in the anthology Cantos a Guayaquil (2011).
Recognitions and Accolades
Cáceres’s contributions have been recognized in academic and historical circles. His works serve as key resources for understanding the evolution of Ecuadorian medical practices and are accessible in multiple university and national libraries. His books and lectures have established him as an authority on the history of medicine in Ecuador, specifically Guayaquil, and he is a respected member of historical and medical communities, including the Club de Historia del Archivo Histórico del Guayas.
Selected Publications
- Diccionario Básico de Terminología y Personajes de la Medicina Ecuatoriana (1989)
- Medicina en la Prehistoria Ecuatoriana (1991)
- La Biblia: Medicina para el Cuerpo y el Alma (2002)
- Medicina Guayaquileña. Instituciones y Personajes Precursores. Siglos XVIII y XIX (2023)
References
- El Universo, Libro ‘Medicina guayaquileña’ se presentará en el Archivo Histórico del Guayas. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
- Expreso, Un libro revisa la historia de la medicina en Guayaquil, personajes e instituciones by Redacción Expreso. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
- Banco de la República, Colombia, La prehistoria ecuatoriana y su relación con la medicina moderna / Gustavo Cáceres Castro. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
- Archivo Histórico del Guayas, Charla, historias y relatos de instituciones médicas. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
- El Telégrafo, Charla virtual sobre farmacopea tradicional y científica en el Archivo Histórico del Guayas. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
- El Comercio, La enfermedad, ¿signo de estatus prehispánico?. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.
Photo Credit: Photograph of Gustavo Cáceres Castro retrieved from Expreso, Un libro revisa la historia de la medicina en Guayaquil, personajes e instituciones. Retrieved on October 24, 2024. Click to view.