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SENTIDOS DE UM PAÍS TROPICAL: A LEPRA E A CHALMOOGRA BRASILEIRA
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Affilliation
Abstract in Portuguese
Desde o final do século XIX até a década de 1940, o óleo de chaulmoogra foi um importante elemento na prática terapêutica da lepra. Esse óleo era extraído das sementes encontradas nos frutos das árvores indianas chamadas de Chaulmoogras e foi apropriado pela medicina ocidental no final do século XIX, a partir da observação de seu uso pela população indiana para o tratamento de doenças de pele. Essa pesquisa tem como objetivo discutir a apropriação do óleo de chaulmoogra pelos médicos brasileiros e o processo de nacionalização desse tratamento, entre as décadas de 1920 e 1950. A análise será feita, principalmente, observando em que medida a aceitação dessa terapêutica se deu no contexto nacional pela comunidade médica e científica, na tentativa de controlar uma doença tropical que estava sendo definida como uma endemia nacional. Dessa forma, procuro refletir sobre o papel ativo dos cientistas brasileiros nos processos de adoção e adaptação de conhecimentos, vendo-os não como receptores passivos de ciência e tecnologia, mas como criadores de novos saberes e práticas em relação à lepra.
Abstract
From the end of XIX century until the decade of 1940, the oil of chaulmoogra was an important element in the treatment of the leprosy. This oil was extracted of the seeds found in the fruits of the Indian trees called Chaulmoogras and was appropriate by the occidental medicine in the end of XIX century. This research has as objective to discuss the appropriation of the oil of chaulmoogra by the Brazilian doctors and the nationalization process of this treatment. The analysis will be made, mainly, observing how its occurs in the national context, in the attempt to control a tropical disease that was being defined as a national endemic. In general, the historians give emphasis in the analysis of the segregation politics directed by doctors and administrators for the fight against leprosy. However, the emphasis in this therapeutic aspect of the campaign allows the reflection of the controversies and disputes and for the comprehension that measures carried through here had not been defined by the accumulated scientific knowledge from that moment, but had been the result of choices of groups, methods, theories, and ways of intervention in the national reality. Taking that into account, I intend to reflect on the active role of the Brazilian scientists in the processes of adoption and adaptation of knowledge, seeing them not as passive receptors of science and technology, but as active creators of new practices and knowledge.
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