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This book is based on a doctoral dissertation made in Brazil on the history of medicine, focusing particurlaly on the 19th century, during which took place the most memorable and important changes, that would transform medicine and public health forever. It covers issues that had to be dealth with in order to improve Brazilian health conditions, such as supperstition, curators, midwives, slavery, charlatans, the malpractice of medicine, the slow transformation of medicine into a science, and the populations fear of vaccines, which led to continuous epidemics throughout the country during this period of time. Thus, physicians struggled against the over exploiting of slaves, the poor conditions they lived in, and attempted to voice their suffering in their articles, along with that of the general population´´s, that suffered in the hands of untrained people that found themselves apt to practice medicine, such as curators, revolved in superstition and ignorance. All in all it is a journey to the heart of 19th century Brazil.

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Born in Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Has a degree in History from UFOP, masters degree in Cultural History from UFRJ, doctoral degree in Economic History from USP, and PhD from UFMG. He now teaches in the Universidade Federal de Alfenas and has written "Fragments of Freedom: religious feasts of slave fraternities from Minas Gerais, FAOP, 2007. Translated by: Nathália A. Rondán.

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