Abstract

SOUZA, Milena Luckesi de  and  BOARINI, Maria Lucia. A deficiência mental na concepção da liga brasileira de higiene mental. Rev. bras. educ. espec. [online]. 2008, vol.14, n.02, pp.273-292. ISSN 1413-6538.

The aim of this study is to investigate the conception and proposals of schooling for individuals with mental disability according to the hygienic and eugenic ideology divulged by the Brazilian League for Mental Hygiene (Liga Brasileira de Higiene Mental, LBHM). To this end, we used as a primary source the Brazilian Archives of Mental Hygiene (Arquivos Brasileiros de Higiene Mental, ABHM), a newspaper published from 1925 to 1947. We concluded that there were various opinions in the LBHM about the conception and proposed intervention methods for individuals with mental disability. On one side, there were proposals of population cleansing to be achieved through healthy habits taught in schools, mainly hygienic education, with possible adaptation of the disabled individual to society. On the other hand, there was an extreme eugenic proposal that emphasized race purification, sterilization and exclusion of so-called degenerate individuals (lepers, lunatics, idiots, epileptics, cancer patients, nephrolytics, tuberculosis patients, prostitutes, vagrants and individuals with mental retardation).

Keywords : Mental Disability; Schooling; Brazilian Archives of Mental Hygiene; Mental Hygiene and Eugenics; Special Education.