Abstract

MARTINEZ-SANTOS, Yolanda. The last great epidemic of the 19th century in Aragon: the cholera epidemic of 1885 in Zaragoza. Temperamentvm [online]. 2021, vol.17, e13355.  Epub Jan 27, 2023. ISSN 1699-6011.

During the 19th century the city of Zaragoza and Aragon suffered four waves of cholera, the last and most painful was in 1885. The objective of this work is to describe the preventive and restorative actions carried out by the health authorities of the city during the last great cholera epidemic of the 19th century. We have been a bibliographic review of the publications that dealt with this fact in the community and the city, the Archive DARA (Documents and Archives of Aragón) and the Madrid Gazette have been consulted. Other newspaper sources have been of great importance. The migratory movements and the hygienic-sanitary conditions of the city, caused that the cholera spread in a very intense way. The authorities initiated preventive measures to try to control the spread of the disease. The city hospitals set up areas for the sick infected with cholera. The Municipal Board of Health, created choleric hospitals that fulfilled a great mission during the epidemic. Aid Houses were created for food and clothing needs in the capital's neighborhoods, which did a great civic effort together with parish priests and neighborhood associations that earned the city the title of "Very beneficial".

Keywords : Cholera; 1885 epidemic; Zaragoza; Aragon; Hospitals; History of Nursing.