Carlos Arvelo Guevara (1 June 1784 – 17 October 1862) was a professor, and the first military doctor of Venezuela,[1] and he played an important role in establishing health services in the country.
He recommended burning all the piles of seeds and cotton that there were in the valleys, an intervention that was successful and led to his recognition by many, especially among the inhabitants of Aragua, who entitled him "el bienhechor" (the benefactor).
[3] In 1822 he was part of a Commission in charge of studying an improvement plan for the Central University of Venezuela, along with José Vargas and other doctors.
He then became leader of the reform that opened the way to the creation of the Medical Faculty of Caracas, which was achieved in 1827 by a Decree from Bolivar dated June 25 of that year, replacing the old Protomedicato founded in 1777 by Lorenzo Campins and Ballester.
[4] In 1827 Arvelo Guevara was appointed director of the chair of Internal Pathology and Therapeutics of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV).
Commissioned by the National Government, in 1852 Arvelo Guevara supervised experimental research for treatment of measles during an epidemic that broke out in Venezuela.