Joseph Barcroft (1872-1947), British Cambridge physiologist, came to Peru at the end of 1921 leading the Anglo-American expedition in order to study the physiological characteristics that let human beings acclimatize to live at high altitude environments. They arrived to Cerro de Pasco, carrying out several measurements at different altitudes, among themselves, the Mining Co.’s American personnel and some native dwellers. This survey published as a paper two years later would arouse in 1927 Dr. Carlos Monge-Medrano (1884- 1970) and other local investigators the interest in searching for the biology and pathology of the Andean people.

On September 6, 1903, the main building of the current Faculty of Medicine of San Marcos University was inaugurated with its frontispiece facing Grau Avenue and next to Lima’s Botanical Garden. This new building replaced the old one located at Santa Ana’s Square, then Italia’s Square and now Raimondi’s Square, in Cercado de Lima suburb, where the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of San Fermando functioned since 1808 and later the Faculty of Medicine of Lima since 1856. The decision to create this new building was due to President Pierola’s rule in 1897, the work was started in 1899 and inaugurated by President Romaña.

Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 51 años que desarrolló paraparesia y una masa abdominal palpable más pérdida de peso en el lapso de cuatro meses. La masa destruía la 5ª vértebra lumbar y se extendía a los tejidos blandos adyacentes. En suero se halló un patrón de gamapatía monoclonal por cadenas ligeras de tipo lambda. La punción aspiración de la masa reveló un plasmocitoma. El paciente recibió radiación y quimioterapia. Fue dada de alta con disminución de la paraparesia.