South of the Equator

medical reports of French Naval Station in Brazil (1819-1870)

Abstract

Since the late eighteenth century, European nations perceived the utility of naval stations. The organization of expeditions on land outside Europe was a way to develop economic trade and political relations. In 1819, France sent the first ships to Brazil. These vessels were part of the Naval Station in Brazil and La Plata, whose mission was to carry out hydrographic mapping of the Brazilian coast. From this moment on, the French ships continuously navigate along the Brazilian coast. Aboard each ship was a medical service, whose primary obligation was to ensure the health of the crew. The medical service also elaborated health official reports on events and on the most interesting treatments for diseases. It is interesting to recover these travel accounts. These handwritten documents are an indispensable authentic source for the knowledge of exotic diseases and health conditions in Brazil. The reports provide information of much more relevance than the simple record of events. The reports contain the impressions of French doctors on the local landscape. These impressions were marked by racial determinism and pessimism about the climate.