This 1970 conference text by P. Del Torto, delivered for the Lions Club, belongs to medical and cultural reflection literature. The work likely contrasts historical medical practice with contemporary developments, examining changes in professional identity, ethical responsibility, and technological progress. Structured as a public lecture, it probably combines historical overview with critical commentary on modern healthcare systems. Its relevance lies in documenting perceptions of transformation within twentieth-century medicine and the evolving social role of the physician.