Hacia una política social. Higiene y trabajo en Tucumán del entresiglo

Abstract

In line with an increase in the number of protests by workers, matters related to living and working conditions in Tucumán became increasingly more relevant in discussions by government officials, hygienist doctors, political, religious, and union leaders who advocated to improve worker’s standards of living. Among these proposals, the hygienist doctors’ discourse that became relevant towards the end of the XIX century and the beginnings of the XX century took central stage and was considered to be the authorized voice to diagnose and propose initiatives related to improving the health of the working population, especially of women and children. This concern was combined with an interest in addressing issues related to workers’ hygiene and healthiness in factories and other work areas, an issue that aroused the interest not only of the hygienists but also of other prominent actors in the period, such as the Press, who portrayed and spread a sustained campaign in favor of the construction of “hygienic” houses for workers.