[Surgical dynasties and practices in northern Basque in the 18th century]

In the XVIIIth century the sanitary practice in the Basque Country is confronted with the professional realities. On the one hand the ratio of sanitary Basque corps is more important than in some other countries. On the other hand there are more surgeons and midwives on the whole territory than physicians who are gathered in Bayonne and along the coast only. A kind of rural hospitalisation had been realized through the creation of the Barberaenea (Surgeon's Houses) which were numerous and afficient for the health service. Nevertheless in the Basque country the struggle against illness and death remained very unfavourable to the men like elsewhere.