National hospice for the insane and the Brazilian Neurology in the beginning of the 20th century

Abstract

The modern Brazilian Neurology was born in the campus of Praia Vermelha, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The former National Hospice for the Insane (NHI) as well as some of its facilities were fundamental for the teaching about diseases of the nervous system to the students of the UFRJ's Medical School, caring for patients with neurosyphilis and epilepsy, as well as children with neurological impairment. We highlight the role of Juliano Moreira, director of the NHI (1903-1930), and his team, including Antonio Austregésilo Rodrigues Lima, the "father" of the Brazilian Neurology, in the construction of the modern Brazilian Psychiatry and Neurology.

The Brazilian Neurology centenary (1912-2012) and the common origin of the fields of Neurology and Psychiatry

“…At this year, the Decree nº 11.530 of 1915 officially unfolded the chair of Clinical Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases 7 , and Faustino Monteiro Esposel (1888-1931) was the new substitute professor 8 . Later, in 1926, new dependencies for the neurological courses and patients care were constructed besides those of the former Observation Pavilion transformed in Institute for Psychopathology and Psychopaths Assistance, at the backyard of the NHI 4,6 .…”

“…(Fig 1). Three of the primary precursors and leading figures of the Brazilian Neurology worked over there: João Carlos Teixeira Brandão, Juliano Moreira and Antonio Austregésilo Rodrigues de Lima (Fig 2) [2][3][4][5][6] . In April 1883, after a competition, Teixeira Brandão was appointed as FMRJ Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Nervous Diseases.…”

“…In Brazil, Moreira was the founder of the Brazilian scientific Psychiatry, director of the NHI and very influent in the Neuropsychiatric area. More qualifications of this great Brazilian, who influenced the Neurology development, are given in other papers [3][4][5][6] .…”

“…Austregésilo moved to Rio de Janeiro from Pernambuco at age of 16 to attend the FMRJ, where he graduated in 1899 with his thesis "Clinical study of delirium". He worked at the NHI (1904)(1905)(1906)(1907)(1908)(1909)(1910), where he was also involved in the journal and the society linked to Psychiatry and Neurology, both originated at this Hospital [3][4][5][6] .…”

Juliano Moreira: the black Brazilian who greatly influenced the modern school of Neurology in Brazil

“…During this period, the NHI underwent a series of renovations with the creation of new pavilions. Of note, Antônio Austregésilo, the regarded precursor of modern Brazilian neurology, was appointed in 1904 as the person in charge of one NHI pavilion 9 .…”