Cholera Epidemic in 1831 in Zemplín County and Measures Against its Spread

Following the recent Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a renewed interest in the study of historical epidemics within the field of historical science. Beyond well-known facts, this renewed research aims to deepen our understanding of the course, spread, and combat of past epidemics, utilizing new archival sources and reassessing older interpretations. The goal of this study is to examine the first cholera epidemic in Hungary, specifically in the area of present-day eastern Slovakia, focusing on Zemplín County, one of the first regions affected by this disease. The study will primarily focus on the presentation and analysis of the measures and anti-cholera procedures implemented by the state, county leadership and other stakeholders. The research will specifically draw from archival materials housed in the Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplín County Archives in Sátoraljaújhely, where documents related to the cholera epidemic of 1831 are preserved in a special collection (1). In addition to archival sources, the paper paper will incorporate works from both older and more recent Slovak and Hungarian historiography on the subject. Among the older works, Daniel Rapant’s three-volume work The Peasant Uprising in Eastern Slovakia while not directly about cholera, is notable, as well as syntheses on the history of medicine and healthcare in Slovakia by Mária Bokesová-Uherová and Ján Junas (2, 3). Among the more recent scholars focused on cholera epidemics, Anton Liška stands out for his work on cholera and its death toll in the Prešov Eparchy (4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Additionally, studies by Peter Kónya (9) and Jana Dziaková (10, 11, 12) will be considered. Beyond merely presenting the anticholera measures, this study will aim to assess their dissemination among the population, the level of compliance, and their overall effectiveness. The performance of the anti-cholera commission within Zemplín County will also be evaluated.