Insights from paleomicrobiology into the indigenous peoples of pre-colonial America - A Review

This review investigates ancient infectious diseases in the Americas dated to the pre-colonial period and considers what these findings can tell us about the history of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It gives an overview, but focuses on four microbial pathogens from this period: Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Trypanosoma cruzi and Coccidioides immitis, which cause stomach ulceration and gastric cancer, tuberculosis, Chagas disease and valley fever, respectively. These pathogens were selected as H. pylori can give insight into ancient human migrations into the Americas, M. tuberculosis is associated with population density and urban development, T. cruzi can elucidate human living conditions and C. immitis can indicate agricultural development. A range of methods are used to diagnose infectious disease in ancient human remains, with DNA analysis by polymerase chain reaction one of the most reliable, provided strict precautions are taken against cross contamination. The review concludes with a brief summary of the changes that took place after European exploration and colonisation.

A produção do salitre no Brasil colonial

This article discusses the processes inherent in the production of salpeter in Colonial Brazil. In the main, the texts seen here present recipes accompanied by chemical explanations of the processes which denote a knowledge of science at the time. Various difficulties confronting the authors, however, prevented an effective contribution to the development of techniques for the production of salpeter. Consequenttly, at the end of the Nineteenth Century, Brazilian rulers are still facing many problems to obtain this precious material.

Descrições de técnicas da química na produção de bens de acordo com os relatos dos naturalistas viajantes no Brasil colonial e imperial

European naturalists explored Brazil in long scientific expeditions and published accounts that make up a rich and still largely untapped historiographic source for the understanding of the history of chemistry. The production of indigo dye, the manufacture of limestone, extraction and purification of saltpeter and the production of salt are discussed. Lime was used to whitewash walls and, mixed with whale oil, as cement to glue stones in buildings of the colonial period. It was prepared by burning seashells in specifically designed ovens. Saltpeter was produced by reacting naturally occurring calcium and magnesium nitrate with potassium-rich wood ashes to yield KNO3. NaCl was obtained by evaporating seawater under the sun. Indigo, a native plant, was cultivated and processed to produce the renowned dye, which was exported to Europe.

Alographia dos álkalis... de Frei Conceição Veloso: um manual de química industrial para produção da potassa no Brasil colonial

Potassium carbonate, or potash, was the most important industrial chemical of the 18th century. It was essential for producing glass, soap, saltpeter, dyes, several drugs, and also used for bleaching linens, paper, and sugar. We examine here a book in which Brazilian author José Mariano da Conceição Veloso gathered his translations into Portuguese of English and French articles, letters, patents, and pamphlets with instructions on how to prepare potash. We discuss especially his version of Richard Watson's essay entitled 'Of saline substances', and Veloso's own 'Flora Alographica', a description of the Brazilian plants that could be used to prepare potash.

Poluição por mercúrio em aterros urbanos do período colonial no extremo sul do Brasil

Land reclamation fills in the city of Rio Grande (RS) are polluted by mercury with concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 18.7 mg kg-1. The level of Hg pollution decreases from the oldest landfills of 18th century to recent ones. Mercury distribution along vertical profiles resembles the same for copper, lead, and zinc, what allow supposing that mercury distribution has an autochthonous character. It is suggested that the principal source of mercury pollution was the activities related to animal skin and fair hair treatment, using ancient technology known as "carroting". Similar scenario of environmental risk could be met in other Brazilian cities with similar colonization history.

Discovering "os ianques do sul": towards an entangled Luso-Hispanic history of Latin America

The article reconstructs the largely forgotten role of key Brazilian intellectuals in the Latins-versus-Anglo-Saxons debates that developed around 1898, emphasizing the embeddedness of their thinking in the transnational crossings of men and ideas within South America. It thus challenges the common depiction of late-nineteenth-century Latin Americanism as a purely Spanish American phenomenon and of the United States as its major catalyst, allowing a more nuanced understanding of this movement' s nature.

The 1623 Plan for Global Governance: the obscure history of its reception

Abstract In the present article we analyze the characteristics and the reception of the first plan for global governance, the New Cyneas by Émeric Crucé. With this goal in mind, we examine the history of its readings and the possible influence on the Duke of Sully's project for European confederation, the case most often cited by historians of ideas. Our analysis takes into consideration the 17th century reception, the scant dissemination of the work and the possible causes of its limited impact. Our conclusions support, on the one hand, the novelty of Crucé's principal ideas, and on the other, their limited impact over the time with the exception of the period surrounding the creation of the League of Nations.

O pesquisador como o outro: uma leitura pós-colonial do "Borat" Brasileiro

Neste artigo, discutimos a aplicação do método etnográfico na pesquisa científica em Administração. Especificamente, ele tem por objetivo analisar como diferenças de cunho colonial preservam hierarquias sociais que acabam se manifestando na prática desse gênero de pesquisa. Resultado de uma etnografia realizada em uma organização britânica, a análise aborda como o pesquisador brasileiro é percebido pelo pesquisado europeu. Para compreender essa relação, utilizamos a abordagem pós-colonial e sua crítica ao eurocentrismo e à sua pretensão de alcançar um conhecimento "universal". Os resultados permitem concluir que mesmo na função de pesquisador, o sujeito não europeu, ao tomar o sujeito europeu como o Outro da pesquisa, torna-se alvo de uma inversão que o desloca de volta para a posição do Outro, visto pela epistemologia tradicional como objeto de pesquisa do sujeito europeu.

Perspectivas sobre a "nobreza da terra" na Amazônia colonial

O presente artigo pretende examinar algumas estratégias observadas na constituição da elite local no Grão Pará no século XVIII, centrado num estudo de caso particular envolvendo a eleição para almotacé de 1741, abordando tanto trajetórias individuais como de grupo. Destacam-se, na presente análise, questões como a formação da elite colonial paraense aliadas à consolidação da posição desse grupo seja através do acesso aos órgãos locais de poder como através das redes de parentesco e clientelares, fazendo uso de fontes diversificadas.

História e política: a historiografia colonial entre a crítica e a responsabilidade (1989-2010)

Este artigo objetiva levantar questões acerca de alguns dos debates travados pela historiografia colonial brasileira nas últimas duas décadas, relacionando-as, em linhas gerais, com mudanças políticas e sociais ocorridas no Brasil. Sugere-se que, no cerne de tais debates, encontra-se um mal-estar atinente às formas pelas quais os historiadores lidam com o problema da responsabilidade diante de uma sociedade marcadamente desigual.