# Law No. 578 of December 22, 1948

> Brazilian law

**Wikidata**: [Q105647716](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105647716)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/law-no-578-of-december-22-1948

## Why It Matters
This law is significant as a specific example of post-World War II Brazilian legislation addressing international financial commitments. By authorizing a special credit for the Pan-American Sanitary Bureau, it highlights Brazil's engagement with regional health organizations and the operational mechanisms of its federal budget at the time, specifically the use of "special credits" for designated expenditures beyond the standard budget. Its connection to the Ministry of Education and Health also places it within a distinct period of Brazilian administrative history before the ministry's later restructuring.

## Notable For
- **Specific Allocation:** Distinct for targeting a special budgetary credit (Credito Especial) for a single purpose: an additional contribution to a specific international body.
- **Historical Context:** Reflects the administrative structure of 1948 Brazil, notably citing the Ministry of Education and Health, a cabinet portfolio that has since been divided.
- **Legal Identification:** Serves as a concrete example of a Brazilian statute, categorized as a formal written document that creates law.
- **Legislative Process:** Illustrates the promulgation process by the Presidency, a key function of the executive branch in enacting legislation.
- **Budgetary Mechanism:** Demonstrates the use of a "special budgetary adjustment" as a formal legal and financial tool within the Brazilian system.

## Body

### Legal Definition and Formal Classification
Law No. 578 of December 22, 1948 is formally classified as a **statute**, which is defined as a formal written document that creates law. This legal instrument serves as a manifestation of statutory law and functions as the official record of a legal rule enacted by the Brazilian government. As a subclass of "written work," "document," and "rule," it is the product of legislation and contains legal norms. Its creation followed the drafting of a law and it was caused by a legal act, resulting in statutory law. In terms of copyright, as an official legal document, it is considered part of the public domain.

### Jurisdiction and Promulgation
The statute applies to the entire jurisdiction of **Brazil**. It was approved and promulgated by the **Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil** on December 22, 1948. The official place of publication for this law was **Rio de Janeiro**, which was the federal capital at the time. The law is written in **Brazilian Portuguese**.

### Subject Matter and Purpose
The law's primary function, as recorded in its law digest, is to "AUTHORIZE THE OPENING OF SPECIAL CREDIT FOR PAYMENT OF THE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION OF BRAZIL, FOR THE PAN-AMERICAN SANITARY BUREAU."

Its main subjects are explicitly identified and include:
-   **Special budgetary adjustment (Credito Especial):** This is the core legal and financial mechanism the law authorizes.
-   **Ministry of Education and Health (Ministerio Da Educação E Saude):** This government ministry is a named subject, indicating its role in the context of this expenditure.
-   **Contribution (Contribuição):** Refers to the financial payment itself.
-   **Brazil (Brasil):** The country is listed as both the jurisdiction and a subject of the law.

### Technical and Archival Identifiers
The law is precisely identified in legal databases through several key identifiers:
-   **LexML Brazil ID:** `urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-12-22;578`
-   **Legal Citation:** `Lei nº 578/1948`
-   **Title:** `Lei nº 578, de 22 de dezembro de 1948`

Within the context of collaborative knowledge projects, the law is associated with **WikiProject Brazilian Laws** and has a Wikidata description as "Brazilian law."

## References

1. [Source](https://www.lexml.gov.br/urn/urn:lex:br:federal:lei:1948-12-22;578)
2. LexML Brasil