Xix. Yüzyil Sonlari Ve Xx. Yüzyil Başlarinda Antakya Ve Ci̇varinda Görülen Salgin Hastaliklara Dai̇r Bazi Bulgular

Abstract

Throughout history, epidemics have had a seriously negative impact on communities, especially in terms of health, but also in terms of their psychological, social, cultural, religious, and economic impacts. Not only communities but whole countries could be devastated if an epidemic broke out, with their military forces and economies suffering major damages. Thousands of people died in the plague and cholera outbreaks that struck the Ottoman Empire after passing through Asia and Europe, leading the Ottoman State to take preventative measures like those of other nations. For this reason, the places with epidemics were immediately quarantined, and the people and ships coming to the Ottoman Empire were also obliged to inspect. When an outbreak occurred, the Ottoman government immediately sent physicians and healthcare personnel to the affected areas and requested daily reports on the number of infections and deaths in its cities.Measures were thereby taken against the plague and cholera outbreaks that occurred in the province of Antakya and its vicinity, and infection and death rates were regularly reported to the center daily. Furthermore, doctors were assigned to the city due to the epidemic and the doctors tried to prevent the epidemics. Not only Muslims but also non-Muslim doctors took part in these epidemics. Especially, doctors who showed outstanding success in the epidemic were awarded by the state. In addition, decisions from the center were implemented in the city. Four hundred and seven people died of the cholera outbreak that hit Antakya and its vicinity in 1890, and 879 deaths and many more infections were reported in 1891, mainly in Hicaz. This was followed by a plague outbreak in Antakya and its vicinity in 1903. In addition to studies and articles focusing on Antakya, in order to examine the number of deaths in the region and the measures taken, documents and letters from the following archives were used: the Ottoman Archives of the Turkish Presidency's Office of Public Records, the Office of the Council of the Grand Vizier (Beylikci), the Grand Vizier's Department of Substantial Matters, Bab-ı Ali Documentation Room,