O poder terapêutico das águas minerais em Minas Gerais: do conhecimento popular ao cientifico

Abstract

The use of mineral waters for health treatment purpose, is not a new procedure, being used since the Greek Empire times, has received several names over the years: Medical Hydrology, Cotherapy and Thermalism. In Brazil the crenoterapia was introduced by the Portuguese colonization, which brought to the country the habits of using mineral waters for health treatment. At first, especially in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the waters had their curative power, proved by practical experience and was linked to the religious world, and therefore considered sacred and miraculous. The sources of mineral waters were responsible for the beginning and development of many cities in Minas Gerais, attracting several travelers interested in the curative and miraculous power of the waters. The success of disease treatment through mineral water baths has turned hamlets into urban centers. The economic potential of the mineral waters, at the turn of the years, attracted the attention of the mining rulers, who began to invest in the cities that had hydro-mineral spots. These, in the eyes of the rulers, had the potential to represent the degree of progress and civilization sought by the State of Minas Gerais. However, besides hygiene, safety and comfort, it was necessary to reach other levels as the scientific knowledge to correct therapeutic indication of the mineral waters. Thus, the University of Minas Gerais, which was created on September 7, 1927 by Law 956, was promulgated by the President of the State of Minas Gerais, Antônio Carlos Ribeiro de Andrada. The analysis of the documents during the research revealed the existence of an agreement between the President of the State in the year 1927 and the director of the Faculty of Medicine for the creation of the University of Minas Gerais. The importance of hydromineral stations to the state and the need to legitimize scientific knowledge for water therapy led the President of the State to support and provide financial credit for the creation of the University under the condition of inclusion of the Chair of Crenology as a discipline compulsory for medical training. In this context, the present work deals with a historical research, with a documental basis, in the area of History of Science. It aims to analyze the construction of scientific knowledge about the therapeutic use of mineral waters in Minas Gerais. The analysis of the documents was made using the theoretical-methodological reference of Ludwik Fleck (2010). The time cut was from 1818, the date of official recognition of the therapeutic use of mineral waters in Brazil, until 1965, the date of extinction of the discipline of Crenology in the Faculty of Medicine of UFMG.