[The Real Academia Nacional de Medicina and the problems surrounding the etiology of influenza in the 1918-19 epidemic].

The different etiological theses which were defended before the Real Academia Nacional de Medicina (Royal National Academy of Medicine) during the 1918-19 epidemic have been studied using the annals of the afore mentioned Academy for the years 1918 and 1919. Apart from the official stance, which considered Pfeiffer's bacillus to be responsible, numerous other hypoteses formulated by researches throughout the world were also discussed. The clinical academicians were the staunchest defenders of traditional etiology whereas, those who questioned this belief, quite to the contrary were from a health background. However, the oportunity offered by the 1918-19 epidemic to gain advances in the knowledge of influenza was lost as Pfeiffer's bacillus was not rejected as the agent of the disease, despite not meeting the requirements of new medical science.