Sleep in the Work of Marcos José Salgado, Author of the First Book of Physiology in the Americas, Published in 1727

Abstract

Sleep and wakefulness are functions of the central nervous system (CNS) that are altered in numerous psychiatric disorders. Interestingly, Marcos José Salgado published in 1727 his book which is considered the first book of Physiology in the American continent and entitled “Cursus Medicus Mexicanus” (Figure 1) that suggests the use of drugs to regulate brain functions and their therapeutic action on sleep. In the work of Salgado, the concepts of sleep and wakefulness are offered using Hippocratic and Galenic knowledge to explain the pathophysiology of both functions. Today those concepts might be considered wrong. However, taking into account the historical moment and the intrinsic value of the text written in Latin, this manuscript is unique. Considered by art critics as valuable, there are only eight original copies of this book. In the present report, we discussed paragraph by paragraph the chapter “Sleep and wakefulness”, the work of this Medical Doctor of the New Spain.