CIENCIA POLÍTICA E HISTORIA: EDUARDO CRUZ-COKE Y EL ESTADO DE BIENESTAR EN CHILE, 1937-1938

Abstract

This article analyse the policies pursued by the Health Minister Dr. Eduardo Cruz-Coke (1937-1938), a remarkable professor of Biochemistry at the University of Chile who contributed to train a significant number of Chilean medical scientists. His health program was based upon a scientific approach to tackle the main health challenges, particularly problems, and general, maternal and infant mortality. He set up a National Food Council that defined innovative policies to improve the alimentary weakness, particularly among the popular sectors, and organized Preventive Medicine Services to diminish labour sickness. The measures had a positive impac in Public Health indexes and were followed by its successors. His successful performance made him a political figure in the Conservative Party. He was elected Senator in 1941, was reelected in 1949, and run as presidential candidate in 1946.