Abstract

RIVASPLATA VARILLAS, PAULA ERMILA. Mulatto Physicians and Surgeons from other Castes of Colonial Lima. Front. hist. [online]. 2014, vol.19, n.1, pp.42-70. ISSN 2027-4688.

In colonial Lima free mulattoes and other racial mixed groups became indispensable as barbers and surgeons to such point that those endeavors were almost monopolized by them. College education forbade them to obtain a degree because of their infamous racial origin, although that was not an obstacle to freely acquire training at the hospitals, where anybody could be taught and trained as barber or surgeon under the guidance of a physician. Therefore, many mulattoes were able to practice this profession after passing some examinations supervised by the city council. Only one mulatto, José Manuel Valdés, obtained in 1795 a royal license for a degree at San Marcos University, although by then requirements were already less severe and the path was clear for mixed races to practice professions previously banned to them.

Keywords : Barber; hospitals; Lima; mulattoes; university; surgery.

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