Cholera in Portugal in the second half of the 19th century: the terrestrial lazarettos

Emerging in Europe during a century considered revolutionary for science and medical achievements, and in the competitive environment of industrial, commercial, and colonial expansion, cholera pandemics were not only a public health problem but also sparked international tensions and domestic conflict in the political, social, and even professional spheres. Despite the growing interest of Portuguese researchers in the study of epidemics, there are still many primary sources that are practically unexplored and a vast range of potential ways to deepen existing knowledge. This is the case of the role played by terrestrial lazarettos during the pandemic crisis of 1884-1886, the subject of this article. Its main objective is to shed light on the circumstances that led one of the most progressive Portuguese governments of the 19th century to combat the threat of epidemics through traditional quarantine measures, which had long been strongly criticized both at home and abroad.