The Medical Geographies and the Apology of Madeira’s Climate: Regarding the Climatotherapy of Phthisis in the First Half of the 19th Century

Abstract

In the first half of the 19^th century, the Madeira’s climate acquired a good reputation in the treatment of tuberculosis, or phthisis according to the medical conceptions of the time. There was a belief that a mild and salubrious climate was ideal for the treatment of this disease, which led Portuguese and foreign doctors to recommend Madeira as a climatotherapeutic destination. Thus, various medical geographies appeared that were dedicated to describing the properties of Madeira’s geography and climate, in a clear apology and publicity for this destination.
This article aims to contribute to the discussion on the importance of medical geographies in promoting Madeira as a national and international climatotherapeutic center in the first half of the 19^th century.

Keywords

Medical Geographies; Madeira; Tuberculosis; Phthisis; Climate.