Osmanlı'da Karantina Uygulama Süreçleri ve Tepkiler (1865-1914)
Özet
Starting with the adoption of sedentary life epidemic diseases became a part of life. As a
result of interaction between communities wich is a outcome of the commerce, travel,
expeditions, pilgrimages and wars the spread of epidemics increased. Due to the fact
that the Ottoman geography was on a cross-continental transition route, it got its share
of these epidemic diseases and almost always struggled with epidemics. Epidemic
diseases such as cholera, malaria, variola, typhus, and especially plague, have cost the
lives of millions of people and have left deep scars in the society.
The Ottoman Empire decided to implement an empirewide quarantine, as it already was
one of the measures taken against epidemics in many parts of the world, relatively late,
in 1838. However, the reaction of the population to the quarantine implemented by the
state could turn fatalistic. In order to prevent these reactions, rignt at the beginning a
fatwa was issued saying that the quarantine in line with the religion. At the same t ime,
writings on the benefits of the quarantine were published in Takvim-i Vekayi (official
gazette) with the purpose of raising public awareness.
In addition, the Ottoman State took both administrative and sanitary measures to combat
epidemics, and in this context, appointments of physicians, vaccinators and pharmacists
were made to places where diseases were intense. An addition to that, tebhirhane’s
(disinfection stations) were established, and items, clothes, indoor spaces were
disinfected. Vaccination studies have been initiated to end the diseases, and the
telkihhane-i şahane (vaccination house) and the bakteriyolojihane-i şahane (bacteriology
laboratory) were established to combat pandemics.
The main goal of this thesis study is to reveal the quarant ine measures taken by the
satate and the reactions against them experienced in the Ottoman Empire in the second
half of the 19th century.
