Marginalizing belief: the practice of healing in Santa Catarina through different perspectives

Abstract

The first Republican Criminal Code of Brazil, dated of October 11, 1890, considered the practice of healers and spiritualism as crimes under articles 156 and 157 respectively. The Brazilian Constitution of 1891 made the same points about quackery and spiritism, under Articles 11 and 73. This work is based within such context of criminalization the practice of healing. The present article aims to show how the practices of healing were seen by the population and the press of Santa Catarina in the beginning of 20th century.