[Control of health professions in Aragon: the Protomedicato Tribunal and the Colleges].
The post of Protophysician was established in Aragon in 1592 to oversee the health professions in places that were not under the authority of the Colleges. This article examines the responsabilities of the Protophysician as reflected in health problems arising in Aragon in the 17th century. The data show that the sphere of influence of this post was limited to the examination of physicians, surgeons and apothecaries, and the inspection of village apothecaries. We also show that the political changes carried out by the central government in 1770, which converted the post into a subdelegation of the Castilian Protomedicato, had little effect: the post of Protophysician of Aragon had long since been covered by substitutes, and the Colleges maintained their old guild-like structure, losing none of their privileges.