Lepra: doença, dor e medo

Abstract

The thesis takes segregation and stigma, leprosy marks as references to discuss the main religious, political and scientific aspects related to the disease, from the sacred texts and some scientific doctrines of the nineteenth century, and its main consequences in the consolidation of the society has built around leprosy. The origins of the disease are presented, from a historical and epidemiological point of view. And its main implications in societies over the centuries. Analyzing the different ways of treating the disease both physiologically and socially. Discussing the process of compulsory isolation, especially in Brazil. The discussion is based on the complex relationships that involve the compulsory hospitalization of lepers. And it was organized from three parts: live leprosy, leprosy and public health, and macroscopic scenery of leprosy. The entire thesis is permeated by an interview with an interlocutor who lived with leprosy throughout his life, and narrated his daily life from statements of very specific moments of his life. Throughout the thesis will be used the term leprosy in respect to the tradition and sometimes, the technical term leprosy.