Latest articles

The industrial revolution and the origins of modern sanitation
The industrial revolution was necessary to trigger investments in sanitary infrastructures, but not sufficient: better medicine and politics were essential.

Local Health Departments and the Puerto Rican Health Miracle
Local health departments played an important role in reducing mortality during the early days of Puerto Rico’s little-known health miracle.

Research note: Sleeping sickness in colonial East and Central Africa
This post summarizes the research by Headrick (2014) on responses to sleeping sickness epidemics in colonial Africa.

Research note: Mental health in Germany ca. 1900
This post focuses on the development of mental health care in Germany around the turn of the 19th century.

Research note: Colonial approaches to sleeping sickness
This post focuses on how British and French colonial governments reacted to sleeping sickness epidemics and what motivated their approach.

Do We Learn from Natural Disasters? The 1877-1879 Drought and Famine in Northeast Brazil
This piece shares recent research on the causes of the 1877-1879 famine in Brazil, narrowing on food prices and mortality.