Do miasma à bactéria: debate sanitário e saneamento em Lisboa, 1870-1910

Abstract

During the 19th century, European cities became increasingly unsanitary and epidemic. Gradually, a consensus was formed around the need to improve urban sanitary infrastructures. Among these, sanitation was possibly the most critical element. However, the lack of consensus in the health debate led to different, sometimes even antagonistic, technological solutions. in Lisbon, this debate emerged in the late 1850s, but an agreement was only reached in 1880, enabling a set of interventions on urban sanitation. However, the literature differs greatly on the assessment of its impact. This article argues that the approach to sanitation reform in Lisbon was constrained by a precarious institutional and sanitary consensus. Nevertheless, the overall sanitary impact was advantageous.

Keywords

• environment
• urbanism
• public health
• urban sanitation
• sewers
• sanitary debate