Las pildoras rosadas del Dr. Williams

by Ricardo Castillo Sandoval

The book compares the vision upon medicine and chances of healing showed in the world of drug advertisement in newspaper adds, and the socio-medical reality in Chile during a period of time (1870-1920). The clear disparity between this two entities, together with the lack of legislation on misleading advertisement of pharmaceutical preparations, may show a particular stadium of the common perception about health and illness during the examined period. The late understanding of the relationship between socio-economical and socio-medical issues on one hand, and the acceptance of medicine's limits in regard to complete healing, on the other hand, seems to have led to first efforts toward controlling drug advertisement. This might eventually show a mental change, a shift on the common conception of illness, healing and medicine, and furthermore the importance of public health as part of the conglomerate of social issues.