Migrar e adoecer: os italianos na Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre (1875-1890)

Abstract

The main objective of this dissertation is to analyze the use that Italian immigrants made of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, the conditions under which they sought medical care, the diseases they presented, and how access to this institution was granted between 1875 and 1890. The Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, founded in 1803, witnessed various historical phases of Rio Grande do Sul, including the growth of the city of Porto Alegre. In the midst of this process, we highlight the arrival of Italian immigrants in the late 19th century. The records of patients at the Santa Casa in the 1870s reveal the presence of newly arrived Italians in the province seeking this charitable institution. In the following decades, Italians continued to turn to it. Our hypothesis asserts that the profile of these immigrants and the diseases of the newly arrived individuals changed over the years. To address these questions, we used the General Enrollment Book of Patients at the Santa Casa as a source to understand the paths taken by these immigrants and how the government dealt with health and assistance issues for them. Additionally, we consulted sources such as reports from the president of the province, official letters, and correspondence issued by various agencies, such as the General Inspectorate of Lands and Colonization. Based on the survey of these sources, drawing inspiration from Italian microhistory, we employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. We observed that with the increase in migratory flows, the Brazilian Empire intensified sanitary inspection throughout the country, providing places to receive and isolate immigrants, such as hostels, maritime hospitals, and lazarettos. In the province of Rio Grande do Sul, some of these locations operated temporarily. As a result, the Santa Casa received payments from the provincial government to treat the immigrants' illnesses and provide accommodation for them. In this sense, we found that the institution was used by both sick and non-sick immigrants, revealing different purposes for those who lacked resources to cover treatment or lodging expenses.