Fernando Latapi (1902-1989) was professor of dermatology at University of Mexico from 1932, and head of the Department of Dermatology at the General Hospital of Mexico from 1947 until 1972. He was then promoted to the post of technical consultant. From 1937 he was the director of the Dermatological Center of Ladislao de la Pascua, one of the most important skin clinics in Mexico. In 1948 he co-founded the Mexican Leprosy Association and was president of the association. In 1960 he introduced mobile units to discover and bring treatment to cases of leprosy in rural regions of Mexico. He enacted new practices for the control of leprosy which led to modifications of the law about the disease in Mexico. He was renowned as a teacher in Mexico and taught almost all the dermatologists and leprologists educated in Mexico during his time. He carried out extensive studies on the "spotted leprosy" of Lucio and Latapi.

International Journal of Leprosy, Centennial Festskrift edition, Vol 41, No 2. 1973.