Cholera Epidemic in Valparaíso: 1886-1888

Abstract

The scourge of the cholera battered the Chilean people in more than three instances throughout history, moving around different cities. It fell in Valparaiso between 1886 and 1888, bringing with it panic, unease, and death, revealing the hidden face of a city and its weaknesses. The angel of death terrorised every corner of Valparaiso, for people had to learn how to live with sick relatives and their eventual deaths. The regional authorities, like the Health Board, acted according to and within the limits of their power, but their efforts were often overwhelmed by the precariousness and lack of sanitation at the time. The hygienism, medical advances, and welfare were painkillers for a society that was being torn apart due to cholera. Despite such a catastrophe, the worst and the best of humanity emerged. While many Valparaiso residents tried to help, the high society moved away to their countryside houses in order to escape from the scourge.