HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN THE BARRIO: WOMEN'S POINT OF VIEW Item Type text; Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Kay, Margarita Artschwager Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 21:03:15 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/290295 INFORMATION TO USERS This dissertation was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. 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If necessary, sectioning is continued again — beginning below the first row and continuing on until complete. 4. The majority of users indicate that the textual content is of greatest value, however, a somewhat higher quality reproduction could be made from "photographs" if essential to the understanding of the dissertation. Silver prints of "photographs" may be ordered at additional charge by writing the Order Department, giving the catalog number, title, author and specific pages you wish reproduced. University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 A Xerox Education Company 72-23,348 KAY, Margarita Artschwager, 1926- HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN THE BARRIO: WOMEN'S POINT OF VIEW. The University of Arizona, Ph.D., 1972 Anthropology- University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. HEALTH AND ILLNESS IN THE BARRIO: WOMEN'S POINT OF VIEW by Margarita Artschwager Kay A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 19 7 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE I hereby recommend that this dissertation prepared under my direction by Margarita Artschwaeer Kav entitled Health and Illness in the Barrio: Women's Point of View be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy After inspection of the final copy of the dissertation, the following members of the Final Examination Committee concur in its approval and recommend its acceptance:-'" 4I////7 3- This approval and acceptance is contingent on the candidate's adequate performance and defense of this dissertation at the final oral examination. The inclusion of this sheet bound into the library copy of the dissertation is evidence of satisfactory performance at the final examination. PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfi1ms, A Xerox Education Company STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to bor­ rowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or re­ production of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the in­ terests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGHED: [MUASU, Avhtbjlilans tC*. 7 Dedicated to the Memory of Dr. Ernst Artschwager and Dr. Edward Dozier Mentors of my Scholarship iii PREFACE My interest in the medical anthropology of Tucson's Mexican Americans has extended through many years, but it crystallized one day when I was working as a clinical instructor in maternity nursing. I had come early to make student assignments when I found the personnel on the unit in an uproar over a doctor's written order. It seemed that he had prohibited the bathing of a young woman who was newly delivered of her first baby. Antonia Lopez had told the doctor that when her mother learned of Antonia's pregnancy, she had traveled from a village in the mountains of Sonora to visit her daughter and give her guidance. Antonia's mother had stressed that she must take care of herself after giving birth and that particularly she must not take a bath for the forty days that followed her delivery. So Antonia's doctor, acquainted with "these archaic customs" had reluctantly signed the order against baths for mother and baby. The nurses were horrified. So to "protect" other patients from "possible infection" by Antonia, they moved her bed out of the ward to the hall, where it was surrounded by screens. Was Antonia's case uncommon? I began to read medical anthro­ pology and learned that the behavior of Antonia's mother was entirely to be expected. So I began to collect items of medical folklore myself, but since the most interesting customs were often described by aged people, I was concerned that I might merely be learning esoterica that iv V had little current relevance. Some time later I studied childbirth beliefs and practices of Mexican and Mexican American women system­ atically, comparing populations in Guadalajara, Jalisco and in Tucson. This research was supported by a United Stages Public Health Service Research Grant CH00-132. Some of the findings were reported to the meetings of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, •Rocky Mountain Division, May 3, 1967. In this study I used a questionnaire, careful sampling techniques, a projective test, and a large enough sample (130) for statistical analysis of data. But I continued to be uneasy about the validity of my findings. How does one really learn the beliefs of others? Since beliefs are not material, their existence can only be inferred. What evidence could be brought for such unsubstantial items? It was only after Professor Keith Basso first introduced me to the relationships between language and culture, and then to the ethno­ graphic strategies of cognitive anthropology, that the way seemed clear. Since the methodology of ethnoscience had apparently not been applied to a broad study of women's medical beliefs, I decided to attempt it, working intensively with a relatively small group of individuals, chosen to represent different degrees of acculturation. Only those who have tried to write dissertations can appreciate the extent to which such work may be dependent upon the help of others. Those who have given me assistance are legion; I will single out a few for expressions of my gratitude. vi First, Dr. Edward Dozier who suggested that I study anthro­ pology and without whose encouragement in'the early years of graduate work I might have given up. I feel his loss deeply. Second, the Division of Nursing of the Public Health Service for the financial and moral support of a special predoctoral fellow­ ship 5F-NU-27,135. Pearl Coulter, Dean Emeritus of The University of Arizona College of Nursing and Dr. Gladys Sorenson, present Dean, deserve special thanks. Third to my committee--my chairman, Dr. Keith Basso, directed my work with time and patience far beyond the requirements of that status. Dr. Edward Spicer's assistance to me was primarily through several years of classes. I hope that the ethnographic detail reflects satisfactorily on this training. Finally, Dr. James Officer, who knows Tucson's Mexican American community, gave me specific direction in the field when I needed answers. My field work began in October of 1969 and extended through December of 1971. I should also like to acknowledge the suggestions of Dr. Hermann Bleibtreu, Dr. Thomas Ilinton and Dr. Thomas Weaver. I received help outside of the Anthropology Department, too. Dr. Dolores Brown of the Spanish Department went over much native text, the dissertation itself, and encouraged me. Dr. Jack Davis and Robert Bacalski also helped. In the herbarium, Dr. Charles Mason and his vii staff assisted with the identification of botanical materials. Mr. Vicente Acosta of Rincon High School put his study of herbal remedies at my disposal. Miss Faustina Solis, a nortena and of the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, encouraged me to question the universal adherence to the hot and cold theory of disease. Next I should like to thank friends for long, insight- producing conversations--John Baroco, Museum Librarian, who acquainted me with the pharmacopoeas of Mexico, as well as other bibliographic items, Jim Griffith, who convinced me to visit Magdalena, Fr. Norman Whalen, who clarified Catholic belief and practice, Anita Louise Alvarado, who challenged my ideas as only a peer can, and Veronica Evaneshko who joined the arguments and also took all of the photographs.