Reflexiones sobre el nacimiento y desarrollo de nuestra especialidad en Chile. Celebrando el 50° Congreso de la Sociedad Chilena de Enfermedades Respiratorias

Abstract

Chilean Society of Respiratory Diseases was born in 1930 as a Tisiology society, because tuberculosis was a crucial problem of public health at those times. From then to our nowadays the society's members have been able to incorporate the great and progressive advances of the global knowledge on respiratory diseases and its technologies into the practice, teaching and research of this medical specialty in Chile. This article comments about the beginnings and the further development and evolution of respiratory medicine and pediatrics in Chile. It also refers to the pioneers and some of the most relevant protagonists as well the institutions involved and the main activities carried out by the now 87 years-old organism so called Chilean Respiratory Society. Some of present and future major challenges for this Society are outlined. Hopefully the Society will be able to cope with these challenges honoring the ethical and humanitarian principles that inspired to its founders.