El análisis químico de las aguas. Ciencia colonial, exploración y supervivencia en Península Valdés a fines del siglo XVIII.

Abstract

In this work we present a documentary piece related to the Spanish colonization of the Patagonian coast at the end of the 18th Century. It is the report of the chemical analysis of waters, taken in Valdés Peninsula during the installation of San José Fort in 1779. We present the transcription of an unpublished document, followed by the lines of inquiry that come up: the method of water analysis and "translation" of the chemical elements mentioned. We contextualize the discussion in relation with the colonization of the territory and decision making about resources, the modernization of chemistry and its role in public health, specifically the importance of scorbut. This concurrence leads to the notoriety of Valdés Peninsula within the colonial scenery.