An Uncertain Cure
Living with Leprosy in Brazil
SERIES:
Studies in Medical Anthropology
Rutgers University Press
In many cultures, leprosy elicits fear, stigma, and misunderstanding. Historically, people affected by leprosy were banished or isolated from the rest of society. Although the worldwide incidence of leprosy has declined markedly over the past quarter century with the advent of new multidrug therapies, developing nations are still encountering a high number of cases.
In An Uncertain Cure, Cassandra White goes deep into the shantytowns of Rio de Janeiro to give a riveting account of the contemporary leprosy experience among poor and working class Brazilians. In this ethnographic treatment of leprosy sufferers, White exposes the web of historical, socioeconomic, religious, and political forces that complicate the path to wellness and perpetuate high rates of infection. Drawing on nearly ten years of research, White shows how anthropological research can contribute to more effective treatment of chronic infectious diseases around the world.
White poignantly illustrates how the stigma of leprosy in Brazil is morevirulent and contagious than the disease itself. The 'uncertain cure'arises from a disjuncture between the social and clinical experiences of anotorious yet treatable medical condition. This book explores the possiblereasons why this is the case.
Cassandra White is an assistant professor of anthropology at Georgia State University.
