Incredibly rare medical guide to prevent and treat cholera morbo (cholera morbus). Apart from the present copy, no other copies have appeared on the market in the last century and only two other copies are held institutionally, one in the United Kingdom (the Wellcome Library) and one in the United States (Cornell University).
The work was published in Santos, near São Paulo, in Brazil, for the use in the hospitals and establishments of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia. Presumably, this guide was used in all Santa Casa de Misericordia-branches in Brazil. Santa Casa de Misericórdia (Holy House of Mercy) is a prominent charitable institution in Brazil, with a long history of providing healthcare, social assistance, and humanitarian services. The first Santa Casa was established in Lisbon, Portugal, in the late 15th century, and the tradition was brought to Brazil during the colonial period.
Not much is known about the author, Joaquim Moutinho dos Santos (1811-1902), except that he was a 19th-century medical professional likely specialised in infectious diseases like cholera. He was the grandfather of Mário Moutinho (1877-1961) ophthalmologist and medical colonel in the Portuguese military.
The wrappers are very slightly frayed and browned, with a small brown stain to the top margin of the front wrapper and first half of the work (not affecting the text) and a very small hole in the first 8 pages, barely affecting any text. WorldCat 776453843 (2 copies - Wellcome library & Cornell Univ.); not in Borba de Moraes; Innocencio; Porbase.