Bolivar improves medical services in Venezuela

Simón Bolívar (1783-1830); José Rafael Revenga (1786-1852).

Decreto sobre el rèjimen i gobierno del hospital militar.

[Caracas, April 23, 1827].

8°. 18 pp.

Recent paper covers.

Decree by Bolivar to improve the military hospital at Caracas, Venezuela and the medical infrastructure in general. Issued by his Secretary General José Rafael Revenga, this lists 19 articles to which the hospital and all other medical establishments should adhere to. The final pages states that this decree was “Given at my headquarters in Caracas on April 23, 1827-17°”. Medical services had been largely the responsibility of religious organisations. Bolivar aimed to strip monastic orders of their influence and the present decree can be seen as an example of that development.
               This decree was issued just after settling, temporarily, the rebellion of Jose Antonio Paez in Venezuela. In 1826 Bolivar travelled to Venezuela to subjugate the resistance instigated by General Paez. This was resolved peacefully when Bolivar confirmed Paez’s military authority in Venezuela and Bolivar’s subsequent stay to celebrate. This in turn caused De Paula Santader to revolt in Bogota, urging Bolivar to leave Venezuela in June. He left Paez in charge of Venezuela with the title of jefe superior. Thus, when the present decree was issued in April, Bolivar was still in Venezuela. José Rafael Revenga was Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Colombia since 1825 and became private secretary of Bolivar when he travelled to Caracas in 1826, making it likely that this was printed in Caracas. The first book was printed in Caracas in 1810.

Condition: slightly spotted, more on the last pages. Small hole in final leaf, affecting text.

Reference: not in Palau; Sabin.