VaccineRevolt

On one side, a crowd with stones, sticks, and iron bars. On the other, police armed with short carbines and cavalry lancer picket lines. At the epicenter, the mandatory smallpox vaccination for the entire population of the capital. In 1904, amid deaths on both sides, Rio de Janeiro was the stage for what went down in the history of Brazil as the Vaccine Revolt.

President Rodrigues Alves sought to modernize the federal capital based on three basic guidelines: port reform to meet the new demands of manufacturing activities, urban remodeling with the widening of roadways and the expansion of public lighting, and improvements to basic sanitation, aiming to end the endemic outbreaks that plagued the city.

For the sanitary issue, the renowned physician Oswaldo Cruz was hired as director general of Public Health. He promoted the country's first vaccination campaign, but the lack of explanations ended up causing resistance among part of the press and the city's residents. Distrustful of the serums and the vaccine, they feared, above all, the violent sanitary agents.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white caricature. At the center is a character wearing a Renaissance costume with ornamental details. He holds a sword in his right hand and an object that looks like a syringe in his left hand. In the background, there is a shield with the name "Oswaldo" and symbols related to vaccination. To the character's right, there is an insect and a rat. At the top of the image, it reads "Luiz XIV da Seringação." Below, there is a caption that says: "Le tas c'est moi!"

Just a few days after the law was enacted, on November 10, 1904, unrest broke out in the central area and in the outlying neighborhoods of the city. During the clashes, vehicles, public lighting lamps, and street pavements were destroyed, and police stations and public offices were raided so that weapons, kerosene, and dynamite could be redistributed.

The government had difficulty dealing with the rebels, even after requesting reinforcements from military units in other states. Among the extreme measures used to control the Vaccine Revolt was the bombing of neighborhoods and coastal regions by warships.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white newspaper, featuring the headline "Vaccinação Obrigatória" in large, bold letters. Below it is the subheading "Reação do Povo." The spatial layout begins with the headline on the left and moves to the right, where the subheading is located. Following this, there is a list of items related to the popular reaction against mandatory vaccination, such as "Liga contra a vaccinação," "Grande reunião popular," "No Centro das Classes Operárias," "Presidência do senador Lauro Sodré," among others. The text contains several mentions of proper names, such as "Barbosa Lima," "Dr. Vicente de Souza," "Senador Lauro Sodré," "Ministro Seabra," "Correio da Manhã," "Palácio," "Largo da Lapa," "Cattete," and "Central."

The movement came to an end on November 16, with the repeal of mandatory vaccination. The civilian leaders were imprisoned and tried by military courts. Ordinary people were persecuted and arrested.