Livro médico e censura na primeira modernidade em Portugal

This monographic study aims, on the one hand, at describing and analysing the expurgation of books, both locally produced and imported; and, on the other hand, at providing an in-depth bibliography of 17th-century printed books and manuscripts.

The first part focuses on the notion of micro-censorship, still poorly disseminated. In Portugal, as in other Inquisition countries, besides the mere prohibition of authors and works textual expurgation was practised by means of eponymous indexes published from 1570-1580 onwards. A methodology of micro-censorship analysis was devised, in order to classify and evaluate the effectiveness of the amendments to the books. Thus begins the writing of the history of the clean library, medical book section, according to the standards of post-Tridentine culture.

The second part is entitled 'Bibliografia Médica Lusa (século XVII)'. Compared to the reduced previous production of medical books (22 titles between 1496 and 1598), 99 printed items (original books and reeditions) and 51 entries on manuscript works are catalogued in this volume. In addition to the main current bibliographical data, each item is described with data on indispensable aspects, whenever this type of information appears in it: dates of licences and privileges, fees, title and author of the paratextual pieces, location of the copies at three levels (Portugal, Spain, rest of the world). The following indexes are included at the end: names of the authors of printed matter and manuscripts, of the recipients of dedications, of editors and sponsors and places of publication.

This dual approach - censorship and bibliography - provides a better understanding of the world of books and its actors in a small market and in a context of strict control.