This work makes a review about the history of the Hansen's disease through the time, since its beginning until its arrival in Americas, in Brazil and in Rio Grande do Sul State. Reports the evolution of the public health policies for its control and describes some attitudes of the society with these patients in the past. This history helps to the knowledge of the disease, to the detection of the predisponent factors of the phenomenon health and disease and to understand the feelings of the patients about their disease in the present days.
Hansen's Disease; History; Public Health; Health Policies