The People’s Golden Book – Raspail’s Medical System in 19th-Century Portugal

Abstract

This article discusses Raspail’s method or system, a therapeutic approach popular in Portugal by the mid-19th century that presented itself as an alternative to orthodox therapeutic practices by offering a practical and widely accessible handbook. At a time when the healing arts oscillated between dominant notions derived from earlier times and experimental medicine, Raspail’s method found its way into the homes and lives of the Portuguese people as an alternative to traditional medicine and pharmaceutical practice, which were inadequate. Its use was incorporated into everyday life, and today it takes several forms as therapeutic practices classified as traditional knowledge. Using historical sources, this article aims to analyze the importance of Raspail’s method and to describe and understand its scope as a heuristic tool in 19th-century discussions of health and disease.