On the second half of the 19th century, Lisbon started to change at an accelerated pace, regarding population growth, urban area increase and industrialization. Although the intensity of these changes cannot be directly compared with the...
moreOn the second half of the 19th century, Lisbon started to change at an accelerated pace, regarding population growth, urban area increase and industrialization. Although the intensity of these changes cannot be directly compared with the ones occurring more or less at the same time in other European capitals (due to its lesser dimension), they were most useful as a springboard for deeper changes that came only in the 20th century. One of the aspects on those changes was the appearance of a larger number of small industries in several areas of the city. Due to their location and characteristics, they were not always compatible either with the basic structures for handling urban sewage or with public health needs. One of the document series belonging to the archival fond of the Ministério do Reino contains several records related to industrial licensing inside the city and show several aspects of pollution inside the urban space. By identifying and analyzing these records, it is possible to understand the ways by which industry, urban sewage disposal and public health intersected each other.