On 19 November 2016, within the framework of the science days organised by the Catalan Surgery Society (Societat Catalana de Cirurgia - SCC), Dr José María Gil-Vernet Sedó held a conference titled Topographic anatomy and its development in urology in the 20th century. Salvador Gil Vernet’s contribution.
This lecture is part of the SCC programme called Contribution of anatomy to contemporary surgery techniques, which in turn are part of the activities in honour of the man who, alongside Pedro Virgili, was the most important figure in Spanish surgery in the 17th century, Antonio Gimbernat. This event took place in Cambrils (Tarragona), his birthplace. The way Gimbernat boosted the teaching of Anatomy in Spain, promoting dissection practice, was key to the progress of scientific surgery in our country.
Dr. Antonio de Gimbernat i Arbós was a prominent figure in the fields of anatomy, surgery and medicine in Spain during the second half of the 18th century. Born in Cambrils (Tarragona, Spain) in 1743 he studied surgery in Cádiz, thereafter commencing his professional career in Barcelona, where he made his more important anatomical discoveries. He visits to France, England and Holland between 1774 and 1778 constituted a milestone in his life. After returning to Spain, Gimbernat founded the Royal College of San Carlos in Madrid. In 1793 he published a memorable work on the anatomy of the crural region and the surgery of femoral hernias, which was recognized throughout Europe, being translated into English, German and French. In the early nineteenth century he held high positions within national medical institutions, promoting inter alia the unification of the study of surgery and medicine, an important step in the modernization of Spanish medical education.