The identification of the mad and madness in Goias in the second half of the 19th century

The primary aim of this article is to observe the process of constitution of the mad and madness in Goias in the second half of the 19th Century. It seeks to understand the debates conducted about the problem, the constructed discourses and finally, the definition of the place for sufferers of mental illness in the province/state. The methodological path followed was the interpretation of journalistic texts and reports by administrators in an attempt to observe the manner in which these sources conceptualize mental suffering, the way those who suffer from it are classified and the existing discussions regarding the way and the facilities to treat them. It is important to note that the search for madness and the mad during the period under analysis frequently leads to pages of police news, where they appear either as victims or tormentors. The recognition of madness in this period occurs in the encounter of the boundaries of humanity; the mentally ill is placed within situations of violence, crime, suicide and abandonment.