A gripe espanhola em sorocaba e o caso da fábrica Santa Rosália, 1918: Contribuições da história local ao estudo das epidemias no Brasil

Abstract

An investigation is presented of the tensions that emerged during the Spanish flu epidemic in the city of Sorocaba, Brazil, between October and December 1918. It draws on previously unused primary sources, namely the narratives contained in the local press, taking the Santa Rosália factory as a case study, particularly its owner’s refusal to maintain the work stoppage at the height of the epidemic, even when requested to by the municipal authority. This research contributes to the study of epidemics in Brazil’s inland municipalities, emphasizing how local history can contribute to investigations of the history of disease in the country.