A fight project to syphilis in the Bahia backlands

Abstract

This paper aims to analyse the project to fight against syphilis, proposed by the sanitarian Eduardo Rabello and a group of researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. Such a project was developed in the Bahia backlands since the creation of the National Department of Public Health in 1920. The health policy was around the debate on prostitution and considered it the main means of transmitting venereal diseases . With the use of medical reports Rural Prophylaxis Service and state and national legislation, this paper seeks to discuss how different cities of Bahia dealt with syphilis, and what are the main difficulties in implementing the project. It was found the lack of visiting nurses, who occupied central role in the proposed prophylaxis of syphilis, but that did not stop the work continues to be developed.