[To the primeval hospital for children of the Mexican social security system]

The Law that led to the foundation of the Seguro Social was enacted on December 31st 1942, and later it was amended in 1945 to give rise to the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. The first 10 years were characterized by the integration and acceptance of healthcare services from the social security point of view. In the 50s, with the construction of the Hospital La Raza, and in the 60s, with the construction of the Centro Medico Nacional, an expansion took place with the creation of several specialty units. The Hospital de Pediatría from the Centro Médico Nacional was one of them. A brief historical description of its origins is presented, and most importantly, of the impact it had on Mexican medicine.