[In the heart of Brazil, a healthy capital--the participation of doctors and sanitarists in the construction of Brasília (1956-1960)]

[Medicine is a joke: humorous depictions of physicians in the Santuário da Trindade newspaper]

This article analyzes representations of medical knowledge in Goiás in the early decades of the twentieth century through anecdotes and articles in the Catholic newspaper Santuário da Trindade, which circulated from 1922 to 1931. The anecdotes reflect a certain distancing from the modernization of medicine and ridicule medical science, demonstrating what Bakhtin characterized as the irreverence of popular culture in relation to serious institutions. On the other hand, medical knowledge was greatly esteemed in the paper's articles, and served to legitimize the moralizing discourse of its editors. Therefore, in the same newspaper this knowledge was simultaneously represented respectfully and mocked, revealing the complexity of how changes in medical practices during the period were absorbed.

How health professionals can leverage health gains from improved water, sanitation and hygiene practices

Emerging evidence suggests that widespread failure in coordination and collaboration between the health and WaSH sectors contributes to the substantive disease burden associated with inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH). This results in missed opportunities at every level starting with access to water and sanitation and adequate hygiene practices in primary health facilities. This paper describes the application of an established health system functions framework to the WaSH sector and summarizes examples of successful health system action including the roles played by diverse health professionals.