"Healing" the bodies and souls of immigrant children: The Ringworm and Trachoma Institute, Sha'ar ha-Aliyah, 1952-1960

Abstract

This article presents the first detailed history of the Sha'ar ha-Aliyah Ringworm and Trachoma Institute. It seeks to clarify the historical details of the controversial issue of ringworm and trachoma treatment during the mass immigration of the 1950s, while contributing to scholarly discussion on Israel's early history as well as the relationship between health and immigration in Israel and the world. Although a localized history, the implications of this story are extensive, shedding light on far-reaching, global themes of biopolitics, body politics, and the ties between immigration, nation-building, medicine, and power. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.