Memorial da Pediatria Brasileira + Bica da Rainha + Largo do Boticário

Hi!

Leaving the Museu de Arte Naïf, I went towards the Memorial da Pediatria Brasileira or Brazilian Pediatrics Memorial. On the way, I passed through the Corcovado Train Station and through St. Jude’s church in Cosme Velho, patron of my soccer team, Flamengo. Then I went through the Bica da Rainha, which is located very close to the Memorial and has a very interesting story: its name comes from when Carlota Joaquina, wife of the Prince Regent João VI, often went there to cure her skin problems in the medicinal fountain – or so she believed. In addition, she carried with her Dona Maria, the crazy, the mother of Dom João VI, believing that the waters there would also help healing the madness of his mother-in-law. For this reason, the spout’s name: it was designed to royalty visits. Another curiosity is that the expression "Mary goes to the others" would have arisen from the fact that the queen and her daughter-in-law were followed by court ladies and slaves to the spout , so the term was used to criticize those who could not govern yourself and only imitated others. Moreover, it is told that Maria practiced various follies in the spout, scandalizing the court and attracting many onlookers.

Arriving at the Memorial, I touched the intercom and went up the stairs, where the museologist Tatiana welcomed me and asked me to sign the attendance book. After signing, she opened the door of the house and I could initiate the visit. She said that if I had any doubt, all I needed to do was to ask her. I saw at the attendance book that many medicine students went there to do research.

The memorial has some interesting things that I knew something about, but very little. Right at the entrance, I came across the oath of doctors and the bust of Hippocrates, as well as different ways of raising the kids in past centuries. I found it interesting to know that white children were the least healthy due to early weaning by white mothers, unlike black mothers, and that indigenous mothers had special care during pregnancy, stopping consumption of certain foods, working less and abstaining from certain services, all to benefit their babies.

The history of medicine in Brazil is shown in the second room, but focused on pediatrics. They show some SBP - Brazilian Pediatrics Society’s projects with Nestlé’s support. They also show some information about vaccines and antibiotics’ releases, and new approaches in perinatology and neonatology. There you can understand how Catholic Hospitals emerged in our country, in large account because of the connection between medicine and religion. From this on, they explain how the wheels of the exposed arose. I knew a little about it, as told by my grandmother, but there I found that there was a wheel where monks and nuns received food, letters and medicines donations from the outside world, and slowly, by guidance of the rulers, began to be used to receive abandoned children.

In other spaces, I could see instruments formerly used by pediatricians and an example of what would be a pediatrician‘s office in the last century. There we can see anesthesia machines, chairs for tonsils operation, apparatus for ultraviolet bath, electrocardiograph and other items.

At the end of the memorial, there is a space that shows many SBP’s campaigns: campaign against diarrhea by intestinal infection, the campaign of oral rehydration, the campaign of breastfeeding, the campaign in favor of prenatal and the National Campaign for the Prevention of Accidents and Violence in Childhood. I liked this part because I could realize how society is changing and how the focuses are also changing - this often happens very quickly. Finally, there is a last room focused on doctors who have been ahead of the SBP.

The memorial is cool, mainly for future doctors - even for those who are not pediatricians, because I don’t think there is another place that shows the history of medicine in our country in such a rich way. Since it is not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, I talked to the museologist and she asked me to send an email, so that she would check internally could send me photos – unfortunately, she said that was not possible. Anyway, if you want to get an idea just visit their website, you can find some internal photos of the museum there. The memorial features a library for those who need to do research, which I thought was very appropriate. Furthermore, the museologist informed me that they have a theater group and a choral for children of the community, which is held every Monday and Wednesday in the Clube Hebraica for free, and opened for any child who can read and is under 13 years.

Finally, before I went back home, I went to Largo do Boticario, a place with lots of history that I have ever wanted to know – too bad it is very decadent now, it’s so sad. I hope that the revitalization helps to give life to that place once again, because is a very beautiful place despite all the problems.

Kiss kiss and good walk,
Tati.


Registration Form:
Site: Memorial da Pediatria Brasileira
Visit’s Date: 11/02/2014
Adress: Rua Cosme Velho, 381 - Cosme Velho. 
Telephone: (21) 2245-3110/2257-2543
Directions: Using the subway, just get off at Largo do Machado station and take the express integration bus to Cosme Velho, or any bus that passes by Rua Cosme Velho – there are many options, click here to find out more: english or spanish.
Working Hours: Monday to friday, from 9am to 4pm, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays closed.
Guided Tour: yes, Tatiana informed me that she is the guide for large groups, but isn’t necessary a guide because all information can be read in the memorial - if you have any doubts, just ask her. 
Entry Price: free.
Toilets/drink water fountains: toilet and drink water fountain inside the memorial.
Cafe/Restaurant/Convenience Store: none, no café, nether restaurant and nether a store.
Accessibility: it has accessibility, if you have motion problems you can go by car and park inside the memorial, just call them to explain this.
Audio guide: none, however they have folders in English and Spanish.
Lockers and space for stroller: none. You can enter with everything.
Recommended duration of stay: I stayed there about 1h.
Parking: inside the memorial only for people with motion disabilities. Tatiana said you can stop at Casa do Minho, a tipical Portuguese restaurant in Cosme Velho Street 60, but it’s only opens for eating from Tuesday to Friday, from 6pm to 1am, and Saturdays and Sundays, from 12pm to 5pm.
Camera: You can’t take pictures inside the memorial, only outside.
Air Conditioning: yes.