"A sementeira que provê a sífilis": as representações da prostituição feminina nas obras médicas de Afrânio Peixoto (1898-1936)

Abstract

This paper sought to understand how prostitution was represented in the works of the doctor Afrânio Peixoto. Doctor and intellectual-scientist, literary, held several important positions in the period of consolidation of the Brazilian Republic. The sources used are the works and writings of Afrânio Peixoto in this work were: Profilaxia pública da sífilis e enfermidades venéreas, Elementos de higiene, Noções de higiene, Higiene- volume 1- higiene geral, Higiene- volume 2- medicina preventiva, Criminologia, Novos Rumos da medicina legal, Sexologia forense, Medicina Legal- volume 1- medicina forense, Medicina Legal-volume 2- psico-patologia forense, Educação moral da mulher. To understand the medical field about the problem of prostitution were also used the publications of medical journals Gazeta Médica da Bahia and Brazil Médico and also periodicals such as the Jornal do Commércio and the Correio da Manhã in Rio de Janeiro.The intellectuals of this period as well as Afrânio Peixoto saw themselves with the duty to “civilize”, “save”, “modernize” the Brazilian nation and had Europe as a reference of civilization.. We seek to demonstrate from the discussions of network and field insert, aiming at intellectual history understand Afrânio Peixoto in discussions of the early Republic. The medical discourse of the early twentieth century intervened in the private life of the individual in a hygienist manner contributing to the modernization of urban space. Prostitution appears as a problem to be solved, medical speeches revolved around the regulation and abolition of this profession, although widely discussed there is no effective project to regulate prostitution in Brazil. The theme of prostitution appears in this scenario as a disease, due to the spread of syphilis, which should be controlled and mainly “sanitized”. The works of Afrânio Peixoto are largely marked by hygienic issues from sexuality, especially female.