in 1899, only 12 licensed doctors were practicing in brazil. lacking access to modern medicine, more often than not the common man cared for himself with folk medicine, and what he found around himself.

he would observe the behavior of animals in the wild to learn the secrets of plants - a tegu, bitten by a snake, runs instinctively into the woods searching for the 'black headed potato' (caput nigri), which is a natural anti-venom. spiritual accompaniment followed - it would be difficult to find a house in rio, which does not have a figa amulet somewhere to ward off the 'evil eye'.