Epidemic Archives: Smallpox

Learn about the memory of epidemics and pandemics in national history through the documents that the State Archives, Private and National Institutions safeguard.

By Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Medidas preventivas para combatir la viruela que azota a la ciudad de Monterrey 01 (1798)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Historical Archive of Monterrey

Act of 1798 where preventive measures are described to combat smallpox that plagues the city of Monterrey.

Medidas preventivas para combatir la viruela que azota a la ciudad de Monterrey 02 (1798)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Medidas preventivas para combatir la viruela que azota a la ciudad de Monterrey (1798)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Informe del delegado sanitario al presidente municipal sobre epidemia de viruela (1919) by Delegado Sanitario M. VergaraArchivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Historical Archive of the municipality of Izúcar de Matam

It was June 1919 and the health authorities of the State of Puebla were asking the Izúcar de Matamoros City Council for reports on the development of a smallpox epidemic in said muicipality; However, it had already passed its worst moments, especially in the previous month where up to two people died per day and despite the fact that there was a strong vaccination campaign.

Registro estadístico del libro de vacunas del distrito de Zacatlán 02 (1900)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Municipal Historical Archive of Zacatlán

As Zacatlán is a district with commercial relations with several states, it had to address with sanitation measures what is within its jurisdiction.

Registro estadístico del libro de vacunas del distrito de Zacatlán 01 (1900)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Through this registry, a control was kept of the children who received the smallpox vaccine in the district, which included 12 municipalities in the state of Puebla.

Circular enviada por el Virrey con la finalidad de terminar con la propagación de la epidemia a causa de la viruela. (1797) by Marqués de Branciforte y Grande de España Miguel de la Grúa Talamanca.Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Archive of the Parish of San Juan Bautista Colcayuca

This document was sent to the parish of the Tolcayuca party on September 30, 1797, it is a circular sent by the Viceroy with the purpose of ending the spread of the smallpox epidemic. For this, he ordered that the infected who preceded from the capital of Mexico and the towns of the archbishopric go to the General Hospital of San Andrés to be treated.

He also indicated that those who died from the epidemic were buried, wealthy people in churches or chapels that were outside the town and not in parishes, and that the dead were put quicklime before placing them in their boxes or coffins . The authenticity of the document was ratified by the signature of the priest Luciano de Medina.

Acuerdo de invertir a favor de la Junta de Salubridad (1892)Archivo General de la Nación - Mexico

Historical Archive of the State of Tabasco

By 1892, the year in which this document dates, smallpox claimed the lives of 214 people, 65% belonged to the population group 0 to 15 years of age. To lessen the dire consequences of smallpox (apart from the distribution of the vaccine) a series of universal prophylactic measures such as isolation and disinfection were carried out.

The governor of the state of Tabasco, motivated by the fight against smallpox, also issued some provisions in order to pay for the aid to the sick. For the municipality of Comalcalco, it ordered that the products of the contribution to cocoa and coffee (half a cent per pound), which entered the municipal treasury of San Juan Bautista, be used with the help of the Health Board to help those attacked from smallpox.