The article analyzes the relations between public health and empire in Spain under the reign of Isabel II (1833-68). After presenting certain conceptual notions, the case of military health is proposed as a specific example of these relations. On a journey through the Empire's different settings (the Iberian peninsula, Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines), the text explains the role played by different groups, often marginalized from historical accounts.
history; public health; Spanish empire; nineteenth century; military health