Popular Medicine in  the Northeast of Brasil

by Luciara Silveira de Aragão e Frota

Our communication has the objective to demonstrate some angles of Popular Medicine in the North -east of Brazil.The therapeutic agents used in that region come from the Three Kingdms of nature:

Animal,vegetal and mineral, under the influence of mysticims that heals, through the witch – doctor( curandeiro). The remedies from theses sources, used as house – hold medicines, are in general tea, infusion, plaster  of Paris and another family remedies.

In the great majoritiy of case, the administration of medicines is accompanied by a mystical ritual called “simpatia”,(1) in the most areas of the region.

So there is, in fact, as a therapeutic auxiliary, an attempt to awake the sick  person`s mind to accept

The remedies in a positive way.The starting point is faith, either in the medicine or in the one who prepared it.Prayer with faith,amulets and another symbolic objects are complements which helpthe cure.In some cases,it is very important for the the patient`s cure,the hour when the remedies was made,as well as,the way it was administered.

One remedy,as an example,would be more efficient if prepared using the energies of the full moon,

Or of the middeysun, or when the remedy is exposed to the dawn, or if it is taken during the dawn,

Before the cock crows.

Even considering the backwardness of  the region,one must remember that it  is a reflex of  whole country, in regarding to popular medicina.There is an old popular saying about therapy: “ De médico e  louco,todo o mundo tem  um pouco”.(2)This general way of thinking might be examining the ethic and cultural common traits of the Brazilian people.

Our communication aime,yet,to focus thephenomenon of suggestion exerted by the “curandeiros” and “rezadores”(witch-doctors and prayers) in the popular medicine an folklore,as the as to try to understand the binomial body-soul is intermingled in the individual `s mind, making him to believe that he will recever througt the water- pot, starting from the bless from the one who is considered by the people as as a “saint man”.

So,was conclude justifying how important is psychosomatic medicine in this field of research, and so try to obtain better results, based on scientific facts.

(1) “Simpatia” means in Portuguese,in the this specific case:Theconcentration of  beneficial fluids obtained througt the use of remedies administered in special ways,as described in this sumary.

(2) "De médico e louco, todo mundo tem um pouco.”From a physician and crazy people everyone has a got a little bit."