Epidemias, estado e sociedade: Minas Gerais na segunda metade do século XIX

Abstract

One of the characteristics of historical analyses of epidemic diseases is the notion of crisis: epidemics are generally perceived as events that do not fit within the framework of everyday order and practices and go beyond individual experiences (suffering, threat of death), jeopardizing social structures, public order, economic activities and moral values. However, epidemic events also shed light on how societies organize healthcare in times of normality, including the extent and limits of the action of health authorities and the role of populations in meeting their own daily needs. This article discusses the organization of healthcare in Minas Gerais province of Brazil during two epidemic episodes, i.e., smallpox (from 1873 to 1875) and cholera (from 1855 to 1856), with the aim of identifying the problems experienced by the population of Minas and the actions taken by the public health authorities during these epidemics. We suggest that the difficulties caused by the arrival of cholera and/or intensification of the smallpox epidemic contributed to expose and exacerbate the shortcomings characterizing healthcare in that society. We also observe that the social mobilization of patients during these events was nothing new, given the low participation of the state in public health during this period, which counted on initiatives and support from civil society.