title: [The symbolic geopolitics of syphilis: an essay in historical anthropology].
abstract: The article analyzes certain scientific ideas that Brazilian physicians, and particularly syphilologists, have held about this disease. During the 1920's especially, these specialists constructed a uniquely Brazilian version of the disease as they debated with foreign specialists on the origins, symptoms, and incidence of syphilis in Brazil. In their formulations, syphilis became a kind of natural symbol through which they expressed their desires to play a leading role within the international scientific community and put forth efforts to earn Brazil a new status in the world ranking of nations contesting the notion that Brazil was forever doomed to backwardness and barbarism because it was a tropical country with a racially mixed population.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carrara
mesh_terms: D000884:Anthropology, Cultural / Q000266:history*; D001938:Brazil; D005843:Geography / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation / Q000266:history*; D013561:Symbolism; D013587:Syphilis / Q000266:history*
vernacular_title: A geopolítica simbólica da sífilis: um ensaio de antropologia histórica.