Pandemics, State-Building, and British-Argentine Connections in the 19th Century

In the second half of the nineteenth century, several epidemics broke out in Argentina. They were not part of an isolated phenomenon. In this period, cholera became a global pandemic that deeply affected the lives of people from India to Europe and throughout the Americas. Being an important South Atlantic port, Buenos Aires was particularly vulnerable to the introduction of the disease and to be a gateway for its transmission to the interior. In the nineteenth century Argentina also witnessed the development of a strong British community. Although the origins of the British presence in the Rio de la Plata can be traced to the colonial period, after the wars of independence people from the British Isles settled consistently in the new country in the context of Britain’s global expansion following the Napoleonic wars. The British in Argentina became very active through educational and health institutions, setting up robust organisations such as the Hospital Británico established in Buenos Aires in 1844. This paper explores some aspects of the contribution of the Anglo-Argentine community and the transnational connections that made that possible. It does this by looking at their health and charitable institutions, the impact disease had among foreign residents, and the role of key individuals. Focus is placed on the role of the Wilde family, in particular Jose Antonio and Eduardo Wilde, leading Anglo-Argentine physicians and politicians.