Discurso científico y modelos de circulación: entre el Manifiesto y la Libra de Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora (1645-1700) / Scientific discourse and circulation models: between the manifiesto and the libra by carlos de sigüenza y góngora (1645-1700)

El Manifiesto filosófico contra los cometas (1681) y la Libra astronómica filosófica (1690) de Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora (México, 1645-1700) han sido considerados por la crítica en su continuidad, como dos textos -uno más breve y otro más extenso- que representan una misma idea acerca de la naturaleza de los cometas: ellos no son ni causa ni señal de catástrofes. Pero en su tiempo, cada obra contó con una causa, un objetivo, una visibilidad y un público propios. Volver a poner en el centro de atención estas diferencias vinculadas a la materialidad de cada obra permitirá conocer mejor las condiciones de la circulación del discurso científico en el siglo XVII en el virreinato de Nueva España. Al exponer su conocimiento acerca de un fenómeno astronómico, como lo fue el cometa de 1680/1, Sigüenza advierte la necesidad de contar con un plan diversificado de comunicación de la ciencia: por un lado, interviene en la arena política estableciendo que el cometa no auguraba ni provocaría ninguna desgracia al nuevo gobierno; por otro, escribe un extenso y especializado tratado dirigido a matemáticos europeos para socializar sus mediciones y demostrar que es factible ser americano y docto a la vez.(AU)

The Manifiesto Filosófico contra los cometas (1681) and the Libra astronómica y filosófica (1690) of Carlos de Sigüenza y Góngora (México, 1645-1700) have been considered by the critic in their continuity, as two texts -one shorter, one longer- that represent the same idea about the nature of the comets: they are neither cause nor sign of catastrophes. Nonetheless, in their time, each work had its own cause, objective, visibility and public. We aim to put back in the center of attention these differences linked to the materiality of each of the works, which will allow us to learn more about the conditions of the circulation of the scientific discourse in the 17th century in the Viceroyalty of New Spain. When asked to expose his knowledge about an astronomical phenomenon, like the 1680/1 comet, Sigüenza notices the need of counting with a diversified plan of communication of science: on the one side, he takes action in the political stage by establishing that the comet does not predict and would not cause any disgraces to the new government; on the other, he writes a long and specialized treaty directed to European mathematicians to socialize his measurements and demonstrate that it is possible to be American and learned at a time.(AU)

Ciencia en el imperio español del siglo XVII: Fray Ignacio Muñoz y sus manifiestos geométricos / Science in the 17th-century spanish empire: friar ignacio muñoz and his geometrical manifestos

La investigación describe alguno de los conocimientos científicos que ayudan a construir la trayectoria vital del dominico Ignacio Muñoz Pinciano, en sus estancias en Filipinas, Nueva España y en la Corte de Felipe IV. Especial interés reviste en las fuentes directas de sus conocimientos científicos de base geométrica que han llegado a nuestros días, y cuya utilización por parte del dominico se adaptan a las necesidades del mantenimiento de imperio español en el siglo XVII. La documentación manuscrita y representaciones gráficas del dominico aportan numerosas referencias sobre su saber geométrico que nos permiten comprender la base de su conocimiento científico y su singular aportación recogido bajo el título de “manifiestos geométricos”.(AU)

The research describes some of the scientific knowledge that help to build the life trajectory of the Dominican Ignacio Muñoz Pinciano, during his stays in the Philippines, New Spain, and the Court of Philip IV. He is particularly interested in the direct sources of his geometrically based scientific knowledge that have survived to the present day, and whose use by the Dominican is adapted to the needs of maintaining the Spanish empire in the 17th century. The Dominican’s own handwritten documentation and graphic representations provide numerous references to his geometric knowledge that allow us to understand the basis of his scientific knowledge and his unique contribution collected under the title of “geometric manifestos”.(AU)

Forgotten Botany: The Politics of Knowledge within the Royal Botanical Garden of New Spain*.

Spanish naturalists established the Viceregal Botanical Garden of New Spain in Mexico City in 1788 to advance agriculture, manufacturing, and medicine. This colonial institution also served the ideological role of cultivating agents of empire. Rather than establish the garden in the already robust tradition of American botany, the Spanish appropriated this space, employing Creole students and servant workers to Europeanize local botanical knowledge through taxonomic colonialism. The different agendas at work in the botanical garden, which straddled the colonial and revolutionary periods in Mexico, destabilized not only this institution, but also the empire itself from the ground up. That the contributions of the agents of the garden have been forgotten is evidence of the fragility and failure of a European institution in the American colonial state.

De fósiles y rocas. Libros, prensa, debates y cultura material de la minería en Nueva España, siglo XVIII / Of fossils and rocks. Books, press, discussions and material culture of mining in New Spain, eighteenth century

El objetivo de este artículo es mostrar cómo la práctica de la minería se visibilizó en una serie de textos —libros y prensa— que, a lo largo de tres siglos, estabilizaron su trán-sito del mundo de lo empírico al académico; evidenciando en sus páginas la transformación de las formas de mirar y entender la mineralogía, tanto como la construcción de una cultura material propia del estudio de las minas. En este texto intentaré dibujar una trayectoria de estos procesos de transformación y construcción con centro en el contexto novohispano del siglo XVIII, en el momento de institucionalización y academización de la minería finisecular (AU)

Origin and Health Status of First-Generation Africans from Early Colonial Mexico.

The forced relocation of several thousand Africans during Mexico's historic period has so far been documented mostly through archival sources, which provide only sparse detail on their origins and lived experience. Here, we employ a bioarchaeological approach to explore the life history of three 16th century Africans from a mass burial at the San José de los Naturales Royal Hospital in Mexico City. Our approach draws together ancient genomic data, osteological analysis, strontium isotope data from tooth enamel, δ13C and δ15N isotope data from dentine, and ethnohistorical information to reveal unprecedented detail on their origins and health. Analyses of skeletal features, radiogenic isotopes, and genetic data from uniparental, genome-wide, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers are consistent with a Sub-Saharan African origin for all three individuals. Complete genomes of Treponema pallidum sub. pertenue (causative agent of yaws) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) recovered from these individuals provide insight into their health as related to infectious disease. Phylogenetic analysis of both pathogens reveals their close relationship to strains circulating in current West African populations, lending support to their origins in this region. The further relationship between the treponemal genome retrieved and a treponemal genome previously typed in an individual from Colonial Mexico highlights the role of the transatlantic slave trade in the introduction and dissemination of pathogens into the New World. Putting together all lines of evidence, we were able to create a biological portrait of three individuals whose life stories have long been silenced by disreputable historical events.

Obras cardiológicas en la Nueva España y en el primer siglo de la independencia / Cardiology writings in New Spain and in the first century of the Independent period

Se mencionan las principales obras de carácter cardioangiológico presentes en las bibliotecas públicas y particulares novohispanas desde el siglo XVI hasta el primer siglo de la independencia nacional. Estas van desde los verdaderos incunables, libros impresos hasta el año 1500, a los tratados de fisiología publicados por autores europeos en los siglos XVII y XVIII así como a los textos de cardiología de autores franceses de la primera mitad del siglo XIX. Tales obras figuraban en los catálogos de la biblioteca universitaria, fundada en 1762, así como en la biblioteca de un maestro de obras de la catedral metropolitana del siglo XVII y en la de un médico del siglo XVIII, el Dr. José Ignacio Bartolache. Este, a su vez, editó durante una breve temporada, desde octubre de 1772 hasta febrero de 1773, un periódico científico-médico: el «Mercurio Volante¼, primera publicación científica hebdomadaria de América. En bibliotecas novohispanas se hallaban asimismo varias revistas científicas europeas como la editada por el abate Rozier, en la cual aparecieron los escritos iniciales de Lavoisier. Los intercambios de ideas y conocimientos aquí señalados atestiguan el interés siempre vivo de elementos novohispanos selectos para los extensos y apasionantes dominios de la cardioangiología.

The first writings on cardioangiology found in public and private libraries of New Spain from the XVI century to the first century of the Independent period in Mexico are mentioned. These go from the truly incunabular ones, books printed until the year 1500, to the physiology treatises published by European authors in the XVII and XVIII centuries, as well as the cardiology texts from French authors of the first half of the XIX century. The writings were depicted in the catalogs of the University library, founded in 1762, as well as in the library of a master builder of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the XVII century and that of a physician of the XVIII century, Dr. José Ignacio Bartolache. The latter, in turn, edited for a brief period, from October 1772 to February 1773, a scientific-medical journal, «Mercurio Volante¼, which was the first scientific-hebdomadary publication in the Americas. Likewise, in the libraries of New Spain, several European scientific journals could be found, such as the one edited by the abbot Rozier, in which the initial writings of Lavoisier appeared. The exchange of ideas and knowledge, pointed out herein, attests to the always enthused interest of given individuals from New Spain on the boundless and passionate domains of cardioangiology.

[Cardiology writings in New Spain and in the first century of the Independent period]. / Obras cardiológicas en la Nueva España y en el primer siglo de la independencia.

The first writings on cardioangiology found in public and private libraries of New Spain from the xvi century to the first century of the Independent period in Mexico are mentioned. These go from the truly incunabular ones, books printed until the year 1500, to the physiology treatises published by European authors in the xvii and xviii centuries, as well as the cardiology texts from French authors of the first half of the xix century. The writings were depicted in the catalogs of the University library, founded in 1762, as well as in the library of a master builder of the Metropolitan Cathedral of the xvii century and that of a physician of the xviii century, Dr. José Ignacio Bartolache. The latter, in turn, edited for a brief period, from October 1772 to February 1773, a scientific-medical journal, «Mercurio Volante¼, which was the first scientific-hebdomadary publication in the Americas. Likewise, in the libraries of New Spain, several European scientific journals could be found, such as the one edited by the abbot Rozier, in which the initial writings of Lavoisier appeared. The exchange of ideas and knowledge, pointed out herein, attests to the always enthused interest of given individuals from New Spain on the boundless and passionate domains of cardioangiology.