Dynamis

The historiography of psychoanalysis in Brazil: the case of Rio de Janeiro

The objective of this article is to analyze the background of the historiography of psychoanalysis in Rio de Janeiro. Three different phases and approaches are analyzed, based on the viewpoints of different groups of authors. The first group features authors who displayed an early interest in the subject, in the 1920's-1930's. The second refers to psychiatrists/psychoanalysts who worked with mental health institutes and societies between the 1940's and 1970's, while the third perspective comes from the academic/university environment, from the end of the 70's to the present. This distinction was made not only to better define the timeframe of the arrival and dissemination of psychoanalysis in Rio de Janeiro, but also to provide a better understanding of the relation between the specific professional and intellectual interests of each group and the respective historical context.

The assimilation of the books on animals of Aristotle in the medicine of Arnau de Vilanova (c. 1240-1311)

La traducció llatina dels llibres sobre els animals d'Aristòtil que es va dur a terme durant l'edat mitjana, va comportar la difusió de noves teories de l'àmbit de la biologia i zoologia a la cultura occidental. A partir de la segona meitat del segle XIII, aquest conjunt de llibres va contribuir al desenvolupament d'una nova pràctica mèdica fonamentada en la recuperació dels clàssics i la filosofia natural. Arnau de Vilanova (c. 1240-1311), un dels metges més importants de l'edat mitjana llatina, va utilitzar en diverses ocasions el conjunt de llibres sobre els animals per descriure processos biològics i fisiològics i formular una nova disciplina mèdica en el marc de les discussions entre la filosofia natural i la medicina de Montpeller de finals del segle XIII i principis del XIV.

The Latin translation of Aristotle's books on animals, which was carried out during the middle ages, lead to the dissemination of new theories in the field of biology and zoology in the western culture. From the second half of the 13th century, this group of books contributed to the development of a new medical practice based on the recovery of classical authorities and natural philosophy. On different occasions, Arnau de Vilanova (c. 1240-1311) -one of the most preeminent physicians of the Latin middle ages- used the books on animals to describe biological and physiological processes, and also to formulate a new medical discipline within the framework of discussions between natural philosophy and medicine in Montpellier; this took place at the end of the 13th century and early 14h century.

Suicidio y crítica cultural en la medicina española del siglo XIX

El presente trabajo explora el destacado papel del suicidio en la crítica cultural desplegada por los médicos españoles del siglo XIX a través de un análisis de los principales modelos teóricos que inspiraron sus aportaciones en torno a la causación del mismo. En la primera mitad del siglo, el factor etiológico más discutido fueron las pasiones, las cuales, de acuerdo con el espiritualismo dominante, actuaban en tensión permanente con un yo reflexivo, consciente y dueño de su libre albedrío. Posteriormente, y en el contexto de una progresiva somatización de los fenómenos morales e intelectuales, la concepción del suicidio como un acto libre del individuo fue modificándose hasta considerarlo como una consecuencia más o menos directa de ciertas alteraciones orgánicas. Pero este proceso no anuló el lugar central de las conductas suicidas en el marco de la crítica cultural decimonónica, pues, con la introducción de la teoría de la degeneración, los médicos dispusieron de una doctrina que les permitía conciliar el determinismo biológico con la muy extendida percepción de una crisis moral y social que amenazaba la estabilidad y los logros de la sociedad burguesa.

This paper explores the major role of suicide in the cultural criticism deployed by 19th century Spanish doctors by analysing the most important theoretical models that inspired their contributions to its aetiology. In the first half of the century, the most commonly debated causal factor was the passions, which were thought to stand in a permanent tension with a free, reflexive and conscious self, in accordance with the spiritualist doctrine that was then dominant. In the context of a growing somatisation of moral and intellectual phenomena, the notion of suicide as an act of free will was later modified, and it became considered the consequence of certain organic disturbances. However, this process did not alter the central role of suicidal behaviour within 19th-century cultural criticism, because the advent of degeneration theory meant that doctors finally had a doctrine that allowed them to combine biological determinism with the extended perception of a moral and social crisis threatening the stability and achievements of bourgeois society.

Los prodigios del hombre encarnado: Víctor Melcior y la redefinición de la mediumnidad (1901)

A finales del siglo XIX, mediante el estudio científico de los fenómenos espiritistas, nuevos enfoques médicos y psicológicos se aplicaron a la mediumnidad. La idea del médium espiritista fue sustituida por la noción del médium como un ser desequilibrado, capaz de emanar fuerzas psíquicas inconscientemente. Este trabajo analiza la redefinición de la mediumnidad a través de unos polémicos artículos del médico catalán Víctor Melcior. Esta microhistoria sirve, por un lado, para situar el debate local dentro del contexto científico internacional y, así, mostrar las relaciones entre el espiritismo, la medicina y la psicopatología del momento. Por otro lado, permite analizar las reacciones de algunos espiritistas a las teorías de Melcior, así como las consecuencias que este debate tuvo para el espiritismo en general.

Towards the end of the 19th century, new medico-psychological approaches were applied to mediumship through the scientific study of spiritualist phenomena. The spiritualist idea of the medium was replaced with the notion of the medium as an unstable human being capable of emanating psychic forces unconsciously. This paper analyses the redefinition of mediumship through the polemical articles of the Catalan physician Víctor Melcior. On one hand, this microhistory allows the local debate to be placed within the scientific international context, describing the relationships among spiritualism, medicine and psychopathology at that time. On the other hand, it permits analysis of the reactions of some spiritualists to Melciors

¿Qué pasa en La Inclusa?: **the role of press scandals, doctors and public authorities in the evolution of La Inclusa de Madrid, 1890-1935**

Traditionally, infants abandoned at foundling hospitals were identified as "bastards" and "children of vice" whose health, to all intents and purposes, reflected the moral sins of their parents and thus, led to unavoidable mortality. By late 19th century, several changes challenged that consideration: a growing emphasis on the importance of fighting infant mortality, the appearance of a new, medicalized, ideal of motherhood, the spread of new medical theories, the appearance of disciplines like Child Health, the construction of pediatric wards, and maternity hospitals. The consequences of these changes had their greatest impact at La Inclusa due to its location in the capital city, close to the decision-making centres and as focus of the interest of the national media. This article examines the role of the press and the medical profession in successively denouncing La Inclusa's excess mortality during the period 1890-1935. By looking at daily press and medical publications, it sheds light on the uneven consequences of the press scandals denouncing foundlings' extreme mortality in the period. The first scandal (1899-1900) faded without acknowledging any excess foundling mortality; the second (1918) was initiated by the doctors in charge but only produced some changes. The third scandal (1927) was instrumental in bringing about the changes that would turn a century-old institution in a state-of-the art medicalized centre and the change from debris of society to healthy children of foundlings. The effects of the press coverage were not restricted locally to foundlings in Madrid, and had a wider impact: by making the public aware of the dire situation of foundlings, they contributed to the development of legislation related to the fight against infant mortality and the control of mercenary breastfeeding.

The role of the media in influencing public attitudes to penicillin during World War II

Penicillin's trajectory towards becoming an effective antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent took place during World War II. Its strategic military value was immediately recognised by the Allies, and mass production was undertaken with the prime objective of meeting the needs of the armed forces. News of its development came to be widely reported on in the media and is examined here. These reports frequently combined accounts of penicillin's prodigious clinical effectiveness with the fact that it was to remain unavailable to the civilian population essentially until the war had ended. More penicillin was to be made available to the civilian population in the United States than in Britain, but the sense that it was severely rationed remained as high. It was in response to this that the idea of "homemade penicillin" was hatched. News of this was also widely promulgated by both the British and American media. Although the numbers treated with penicillin produced in this way was never to be significant, knowledge of the existence of such endeavours may have served to assuage in some measure the feelings of frustration felt by the civilian population at penicillin's non-availability.

Embriología y "ciencia oficial": la aportación de la escuela anatómica de José Escolar a la embriología durante el primer Franquismo (1939-1959)

En el presente trabajo se hace un análisis de la aportación de la escuela anatómica de José Escolar (1913-1998) a la embriología durante las dos primeras décadas de la dictadura franquista. Se hace un especial énfasis en el proceso por el que, gracias al apoyo del naciente CSIC, el grupo español contactó con la morfología alemana que estaba desarrollando Hugo Spatz (1888-1979) en el Max Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung. A través de nuestro estudio se constatan las diversas influencias que terminaron por dibujar la anatomía y embriología de Escolar. En España, detectamos una influencia directa de la morfología gegenbauriana de Gumersindo Sánchez-Guisande (1894-1976) así como de la neuroanatomía de Juan José Barcia Goyanes (1901-2003), llena de referencias a la obra de Braus. Los contactos internacionales de los "escolarianos" -con la ciencia estadounidense primero y posteriormente con la alemana- constituyeron un grupo de trabajo homogéneo con una anatomía única (funcional y ontofilogénetica) pero con unos intereses investigadores tan amplios que obligaron a subespecializarse al equipo. Fruto de una intensa relación con la comunidad anatómica alemana, durante los años 50 fueron apareciendo una serie de importantes trabajos embriológicos entre los que destacan los que realizó Escolar sobre el desarrollo de la amígdala y el allocórtex, los de Fernando Reinoso sobre la embriología del diencéfalo y los descubrimientos de Víctor Smith Agreda junto a Rudolf Diepen sobre el desarrollo del sistema hipotálamo-hipofisario.

In this paper, we analyse the contribution of the anatomical school of José Escolar (1913-1998) to embryology during the first two decades of the Francoist dictatorship. Special attention is paid to the process by which the Spanish group, with the support of the new Superior National Research Council, made contact with the German morphology being developed by Hugo Spatz (1888-1979) at the Max Planck-Institut für Hirnforschung. Our study reveals the numerous influences that finally led to the anatomy and embryology of Escolar. In Spain, we found a direct influence of the Gegenbaurian morphology of Gumersindo Sánchez Guisande (1894-1976) and the neuroanatomy of Juan José Barcia Goyanes (1901-2003), full of references to studies by Braus. International contacts of the «Escolarian group», first with North America and then with Germany, created a homogeneous group with a single anatomy (functional and ontophylogenetic) but with so many research interests that subspecialisations had to be developed. An important embryological work resulted from an intense relationship with the German anatomical community during the 1950s. Escolar worked in this field on the development of the amygdala and allocortex, Fernando Reinoso studied the embryology of the diencephalon and Smith Victor Agreda, along with the German scientist Rudolf Diepen, made some important discoveries on the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary system.

"Influencia del roce y desgaste epidérmico en el dibujo papilar": experiencias inéditas sobre dactiloscopia de Federico Olóriz Aguilera (1855-1912)

Federico Olóriz fue el introductor en España de un método de identificación por medio de las huellas dactilares, actualmente en vigor en diversos países. Para ello realizó numerosos trabajos, entre otros, la experiencia, hasta ahora inédita, que presentamos. Olóriz se propuso comprobar si los pulpejos de los dedos sometidos a manipulación mantenían los pliegues dérmicos de forma que pudieran seguir sirviendo para la correcta identificación. En caso de un simple lijado, comprobó que los pliegues dérmicos no representaban problemas graves de identificación. En caso de alterarse con elementos punzantes, las dificultades eran algo mayores, pero en modo alguno insalvables. Previamente se ofrece una breve biografía del personaje y un resumen de sus estudios sobre antropología y, de forma más amplia, su dedicación a la antropología forense, que le llevó a poner en marcha el denominado "Método Olóriz" de identificación por medio de las huellas dactilares.

Federico Olóriz introduced in Spain a method of identification based on fingerprints that is now used in various other countries. Among the numerous studies he performed for this purpose is a hitherto unpublished experiment reported in this paper. The objective was to test whether fleshy parts of fingers that undergo manipulation can maintain their dermal folds in a manner that permits their correct identification. Olóriz found that dermal folds produced by a simple ligation did not pose serious identification problems, while alterations resulting from sharp elements generated greater but in some way surmountable difficulties. A brief biography of Olóriz is first provided, with a summary of his studies on Anthropology and, in greater detail, his dedication to Forensic Anthropology, which led to the development of the so-called "Olóriz Method" of identification by means of fingerprints.

John Victor Pickstone (1944-2014)

John Pickstone: a personal tribute

The youngest of the senior scholars: a tribute to John V. Pickstone