The 1868 Cholera Epidemic: Buenos Aires' Dark Summer

In 1868, a cholera epidemic swept through Buenos Aires, killing thousands and exposing the fragile infrastructure of a city on the rise. This episode of The Story of Argentina follows the outbreak's arrival via the port, the chaotic response by provincial authorities, and the heroic efforts of doctors like Dr. Francisco Muñiz, who stayed to treat the sick. We explore how the epidemic deepened class divides, as the poor suffered most in overcrowded conventillos while the wealthy fled to the countryside. We also examine the role of the Cuerpo Médico de Sanidad, the municipal commissions that distributed food and medicine, and the stark contrasts with the yellow fever epidemic of 1871 that would follow. Lucas and Luna discuss how the crisis accelerated public health reforms, including the creation of the Asistencia Pública, and how it shaped the presidency of Sarmiento, who took office in the midst of the outbreak. The epidemic's legacy is not just in mortality statistics but in the birth of modern sanitation and municipal governance in Argentina.

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