The magic medicine of the Erário Mineral (1735)

Throughout the centuries, societies have developed various approaches to deal with diseases, utilizing knowledge from nature, religious practices, and even magic. The aim of this study is to analyze the cultural conceptions of the art of healing in Minas Gerais, Brazil in the year 1743, focusing on the use of “magic” and “magical items” in the treatment of ailments. The research is based on the analysis of the medical treatise Erário Mineral, written in 1735 by the Portuguese surgeon Luís Gomes Ferreira. This study discusses some of the healing methods used in Minas Gerais and the relationship between popular and scholarly medical knowledge, as well as the close connection between medicine and magic. The paper also explores the syncretism of the people of Minas Gerais in the 17th century, as well as the understanding of illness as a supernatural force.