Medicine, Fear, and Panic in Lima During the Great Rebellion: The Letter of an Aristocratic Midwife, 1781

Abstract

This article allows to outline, through the letter of a female character named Lucía, a midwife and aristocrat, the impact of Túpac Amaru’s rebellion on Lima society. Feelings of fear and panic, experienced by the population of the City of Los Reyes, can be found in the lines written by that woman, as well as the concept of the people of Lima about José Gabriel. The letter announces the presence of great people and informs us about the author’s profession as a midwife, an interesting topic for future research into medicine.