[Peripheral neuropathies in the State of São Paulo from 1939 to 1985]

Studies on peripheral neuropathies by investigators residing in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, and published since the 1930 and 1940 decades until 1985 were revised in the present survey. Investigations in the area were greatly encouraged by the appearance of the journal Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria(São Paulo). Oswaldo Freitas Julião may be considered the author who began these studies in the State and his most important contributions were related to leprosy and to Andrade disease, although he also published papers on other types of peripheral neuropathies. Horacio Martins Canelas also made a very important contribution to the study of different neuropathies, especially those due to vitamin B12 deficiency. A series of papers on neuropathies published by neurologists residing in the State is summarized. We also present a catalogue of the major university centers where groups of neurologists preferentially devote their time to the study of neuromuscular disease in São Paulo and a selected bibliography about neuropathies by investigators from this State.