About this exhibit

A series of epidemic nightmares that ravaged Chile during the 19th and early 20th centuries significantly harmed the country's wellbeing and economy. The smallpox epidemic of the 1800s and the plague epidemic from 1902 to 1907, both brought to the nation by the growth in international trade that followed Chilean independence, were among the worst pandemics that characterized the long nineteenth century. As a result, these pandemics serve since evidence of the detrimental effects of globalization, as closer ties to other parts of South America and Europe brought about both positive and negative changes. In this exhibit, we will discuss several of Chile's pandemics and explore the factors that influenced the virulence of these outbreaks of smallpox and plague. By looking at Chilean living conditions, prevention methods, and political influences, we explore how these factors interacted to create a holistic mapping of Chile’s public health.