New Spain's Boards of Health, XVIII and XIX centuries

Objective. To describe the function of New Spain's Boards of Health, which were created in times of emergencies as in epidemic diseases or natural cat astrophes. Material. Most of the information comes from primary sources, su ch as the rules, orders and reports of the Boards of Health. Results' Whene ver an epidemic disease appeared in Neu, Spain, there were not enough physi cians, hospitals or medical services to fulfill the need's of society. The response was the creation of Boards of Health that functioned as charitable groups. Their purpose was to provide food, clothing and medical support to the sick, by collecting donations and distributing them among the needed, and also by assigning physicians to specific geographical sectors within ci ties. Conclusions. The presence of Boards of Health was useful to fight epi demics in New Spain allowing the team work not only among physicians, but a lso among parish priests and neighborhood to offer assistance and help to s ick people as medical, welfare work and soulful support.