This paper traces, in brief, a broad view in the main epidemics and endemics that attacked the population in the State of São Paulo during the 20th century. The facts are presented contained in five defined periods starting from outstanding facts of the national life. It tries to find the occurrence of the problems of health in the social political and economical context of each period. The information are based on revision, not exhausting, of some scientific journals of the public health and medicine subjects. The considered periods are: from the beginning of the century to the end of the "República Velha", the "getulista" period, the "golden years" from 1945 to 1964, the military dictatorship and the current period after the fall of the dictatorship. For each period it describes the epidemic situation and the main endemics for which there were available information. Given the limited extension of an article, it was not possible to deepen the aspects related to the appearance of each one of the problems, nor the details of its control. We opted for the construction of a panel that makes possible to the readers a landscape vision of the 20th century. The list of bibliographical references can be useful to those who want to deep themelves in the different themes.
Epidemiological Profile; Endemics and Epidemics; Infectious Diseases; Needs and Problems of Health