In this paper I investigate the limitations of memory, physical and psychological effects on individuals’ perception that effect memory, and the impact of those limitations on our ability to recall objective truth. The paper is introduced with an explanation of my interest in the subjective narrative voice in historical accounts and questions the possibility of a completely objective voice. In the first chapter, a fantastical biographical story of the life of Tycho Brahe is used as an example of the difficulty in parsing truth from legend. Descriptions of changes in scientific methods exemplify the uncertainty of scientific fact. I propose that Brahe sought empirical data to replace the unfiltered memory perception an anosmic lacks. Additionally, if Brahe had a sense of smell his murder may have been unsuccessful. In the second chapter I describe anosmia, then explain the dominant theories of how olfaction takes place, and memory storage through smell. Memory recall through associated odors is unfiltered by the intellect, and unalterable, while other forms of memory are subject to change as our psyche continually reforms the experience. An objective account of events is impossible. I search instead for histories where myth, legend, truth, and imagination converge.

. Ce travail propose, en se basant sur un corpus issu de revues spécialisées en médecine tropicale et sur une série d'interviews de spécialistes du domaine, de comprendre le (ou les) rôle(s) des cartes, d'étudier son évolution au cours du temps ainsi que son impact dans la construction du fait scientifique. Cette étude s'est plus particulièrement appuyée sur la sémiotique peircienne qui a permis d'appréhender le sens des cartes, sur les écrits de Latour concernant la construction de la science ainsi que sur ceux de Robert concernant les technologies intellectuelles. Ces écrits ont donné lieu à la construction d'un système d'analyse de toute carte que notre corpus a alimenté. Outre l'impact réel des cartes publiées, impact constaté par une plus forte citation des articles les publiant, il a été mis en évidence que le(s) rôle(s) évolue(nt) au cours du temps. Au départ, toutes les cartes publiées avaient une fonction d'illustration et n'étaient pas nécessaires à la compréhension de l'article. Au fur et à mesure que les médecins adoptent les avancées de la cartographie, elles acquièrent de nouveaux rôles et deviennent des outils de recherche qui possèdent une autonomie scientifique. Inversement, nous observons des cartes qui perdent de leur « scientificité » au cours du temps. Si donc le rôle de la carte en médecine tropicale est dépendant à un moment donné des connaissances sémiologiques et médicales de son auteur et de son lecteur, il l'est aussi du temps qui, par l'évolution technique, scientifique et sociopolitique de l'environnement, modifie l'apport de ce support pour la recherche et pour la communication. / These objects can cover many different disciplines and appear in this study both politically and scientifically. This study intends to, by being based on a corpus of magazines specialised in tropical medicine and on a series of interviews of specialists in the area, understand the role of maps, studying their evolution in time and their impact on the construction of scientific fact. This study is primarily based on Peirce's semiotics allowing the comprehension of maps, on Latour's works about the construction of science and on Robert's studies into intellectual technologies. These papers led to the construction of an analytical system for all maps used by our corpus. Beyond the primary impact of published maps, which can be noticed through frequent quotations of the articles publishing them, it has been proved that its roles change over time. To start with, all the published maps had an illustrated purpose and were not required to understand the article. As doctors started adopting the progress in cartography, map stook on new roles and became research tools with their own scientific independance. Conversely, we observe that some maps loose their « scientificity » with time. In conclusion, if the role of maps in tropical medicine is dependant on the semiological and medical knowledge of the author and the reader, it is also dependant on the time, which by the technical, scientific and sociopolitical evolution of the environment, alters the use of this format for research and communication.