The Palæstra Scientifica is a branch of this institution, the members being chiefly naturalists. The gentlemen of the Novara Expedition were invited to one of the meetings, which was inaugurated by the secretary reading aloud an ancient manuscript upon the natural resources of various provinces in Brazil, according to explorations, which had been undertaken in 1798, by the directions and at the cost of the then Portuguese Government. There was also read a memoir upon the culture of linseed, formerly carried on in the province of St. Catharina, which, however, is now entirely discontinued. Dr. Schüch presented to the Society vocabularies of the Croado and Puris languages, compiled by M. R. F. de Senestes, a retired Belgian ship captain, now resident at Minas, who had long traded with these two Indian races. Dr. Schüch also exhibited a pigment, or dye-stuff, extracted from the wood of the Ipé-tree, a species of bignonia, extensively used in the manufacture of axles. State Councillor and Senator Candido Baptista de Oliveira, [formerly Minister and Ambassador at St. Petersburg, and at that time publisher and editor of the Rivista Brasileira (Brazilian Review)], brought forward some meteorological tables, and explained his new method for measuring altitudes. The proceedings are usually conducted in the Portuguese language; but out of courtesy to the foreigners, French was principally spoken, and the President kindly proposed that Dr. Schüch de Capanema, who is thoroughly versed in German, should translate into that idiom the proceedings as carried on in Portuguese. At the close of the sitting, the commander of our Expedition and the various members of the scientific commission were named associates of the Palæstra Scientifica.
This society had projected an expedition to explore the western provinces of the empire, and some of their members were appointed to draw up the plan for carrying it out. The arrangements for the enterprise were on the grandest scale. The requisite books and scientific apparatus were ordered from London, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin. Every branch of science had its representative,—an astronomer, botanist, zoologist, ethnologist, &c., were to accompany the Expedition; each section had a number of assistants, the astronomical as many even as nine. When we arrived in Rio, the printed instructions for the use of the members were just being distributed; and it was asserted that nothing but the non-arrival of the instruments from Europe prevented the departure of the Expedition. In short, the preparations which were made in the year 1857, justified the hope that a most brilliant success would be the result of an undertaking got up on so expensive a scale. The only pity is, that up till now—more than three years later—the Expedition has had but little result, and, according to the latest intelligence from Rio, some of the members in the north-east of the province of Cearà cannot proceed any further for want of money (por falta de dinhero), and expect new funds in order to continue their explorations and their efforts in search of the wild tribes (em busca das tribus selvaticas!) in the interior of Maranhao.
There is, generally speaking, in Brazil, as in all other South-American States peopled by the Roman race, much of good-will, and still more vanity, to follow in the wake of northern European civilization in everything pertaining to progress and investigation; but there is wanting that energy, that perseverance so characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race, which are essential conditions in successfully carrying out any undertaking, however zealously entered upon. This probably is the reason why in Brazil so many things in science and social life are begun and never brought to a conclusion; there is nowhere more talk about what is to be done, than at Rio de Janeiro. Thus, for example, the Museum of Natural History at the Campo Santa Anna, is an elegant building, with magnificent apartments, and large elegantly fitted cases—which, however, contain as yet but few objects of natural history, even those being most unsystematically arranged.
Another educational institution—the Military Academy—founded under John VI., in 1810, for the instruction of the engineers and officers of the various scientific corps, has, since then, undergone nine reforms, and was just about to undergo another one! In this establishment the highly objectionable practice still exists, of making every pupil acquainted with the chapter and verse of the subjects of examination twenty-four hours before it takes place.
The Public Library, though little more than begun at the period of our visit, already comprised 86,000 volumes, and is annually increased by an addition of five or six hundred. This institution was, in 1856, visited by 3407 readers, who perused 7717 volumes, mostly in Portuguese and French, consisting of 238 on theology, 1046 on political economy, 2879 on natural science, 153 on the fine arts, 1083 on history, and 2318 on belles-lettres, which furnishes a very fair criterion for estimating the education of those availing themselves of these advantages.
Another institution, which is an evidence of the efforts now making by the Brazilians to gratify their national vanity, is the Conservatorio da Musica, a newly-established institution for the promotion of the opera lyrica nacional, the number of pupils attending which averages 100. A custom has lately prevailed of sending one or two of the most gifted of these annually to Europe to complete their musical studies. During a four years' residence there, each pupil has a stipend from the Imperial exchequer of 3000 francs per annum; and in the event of obtaining a prize abroad, he receives a gratuity of 1000 francs; his compositions, however, in that case become the property of the parent institution. By this means the Brazilians hope to render themselves entirely independent of foreign musical talent. "Why should we annually pay hundreds of thousands of francs to foreign singers and concert-givers?" said a Brazilian to us one day in all earnestness. "We shall soon have our own artists—Brazilian Thalbergs, Grisis, and Lablaches!" Confessedly the inhabitants of the United States have been vain enough in all conscience; but when we consider the wonderful advances made by that active, energetic people, and contemplate their surpassing qualities, such a national foible is readily overlooked. In Brazil, on the contrary, the contempt affected for everything foreign, the fretful impatience to become emancipated from the smallest resemblance to European customs, is exceedingly childish and even ludicrous in a country which can hardly yet be said to be able to stand alone, since the pressure of circumstances is daily making them more and more dependent on other countries, and where it is necessary to import from abroad not merely the evidences of high culture, but the very first necessaries of life, even to obtaining supplies of foreign labour. This overweening self-esteem has rather increased, since it has become the fashion of young Brazilians, of the better classes, to visit Europe for the completion of their studies, as will, perhaps, be best illustrated by the following laughable anecdote:—A young Brazilian, the son of a German father and a native lady, who had but recently returned from Europe, overheard one of his friends asking another if he could tell of what country he thought the fresh arrival to be, at the same time indicating the youth, who just came from the academy of Freiberg. "There can be no doubt on that point," was the reply; "the blue eyes, light hair, and fair complexion, distinctly indicate that the gentleman is a German." "God forbid!" (Deu m'en guarda!) exclaimed the young gentleman, who seemed as it were ashamed of his foreign descent, and to feel even more indignation than a full-blood Brazilian at such a mortifying imputation.
Among the various institutions recently established in Rio, the introduction of which is intended to be made available in promoting the physical well-being of the people, the foremost place must indisputably be assigned to the Board of Health (Junta Central de Hygiena Publica). It owes its origin to the appearance of the yellow fever and the cholera, which had never been known before in the country. The former broke out on the 29th December, 1850, having been introduced by vessels that had cleared from Bahia, at which port it had been raging for some weeks. The ravages of this pestilence were fearful in Rio; out of a population of 250,000 souls, as many as 120,000 were attacked, and upwards of 5000 fell a sacrifice to the disease.
The first case of cholera occurred a few years later, on the 15th of July, 1855; and during the months in which it prevailed, nearly the same number (to be more precise, 4826) of the inhabitants of the capital were carried off. The fatal cases throughout the empire from this epidemic during the eighteen months between May, 1855, and December, 1856, are said to have amounted to the enormous number of 107,093! Dr. Francisco de Paulo Candido, one of the most eminent physicians of Rio, and the principal member of the Board of Health, states, in a report to the Government, relative to the statistics of the cholera throughout the empire, that he had observed, during the prevalence of the epidemic, three phenomena, which seemed to stand in a certain relation to its appearance, increase, and decrease, viz., the almost entire disappearance of the ozon in July and following months, when the disease was on the increase; the gradual increase of that atmospheric agent, in proportion to the decrease of the disorder; and lastly, the influence exercised by humidity and sudden changes in temperature on the intensity of the disease. Dr. Candido has added to his highly instructive report some meteorological tables and a graphical representation of the presence and absence of ozon in the atmosphere, which will be published, in its proper place, in the medical section of the present work.
The consequence of the ravages of these two scourges was, that a variety of other measures for securing the public health were inaugurated by the newly-established Board of Health. Among others, a hospital was set on foot in a charming part of the Cove of Jurujuba,[40] at the eastern extremity of the Bay of Rio, expressly for the reception of patients afflicted with yellow fever or cholera. Every morning since that attack, (and during the unhealthy season several times a day), a small Government steamer, fitted up for the purpose, plies round the bay, to take up any cases that may happen to occur on board the ships arriving, and convey them hither free of charge. Two medical men on board the steamer commence the treatment, by applying the necessary remedies, during the passage from the ship to the hospital. Any vessel at anchor in the bay with an epidemic on board, has, according to arrangement, simply to hoist a flag on the mainmast, whereupon the Government steamer immediately embarks the sick persons. In order more effectually to keep from all contact with the population of the town, such shipboard patients as are labouring under infectious complaints, another hospital has been established on the Island of Marica, situated beyond the bar.
[40] Pronounced Shooru-shooba.