Throughout human history, disease has always represented a moment of crisis for individuals and societies. When death brought by disease hangs heavy over societies, they are led to develop strategies to prevent and cure it. Epidemics, especially cholera epidemics, have had a strong impact on Argentine society and especially on Córdoba residents, because the first cholera outbreak was demographically and socially highly devastating. In this article we analyze the supply of products advertised in the press (the only media available at the time) during the first epidemic, which broke out in 1867-8. Our hypothesis is that the products available, which we believe were consumed by some groups in society, led to a sumptuary trade that was not common among the population when there were no epidemics. At times of epidemics, these products were directed towards more affluent groups. We also believe that the supply of such products changed as their trade increased.
epidemic; cholera; Córdoba; advertising; press
