La Cruz Roja Española, la repatriación de los soldados de las guerras coloniales y el desarrollo de la ciencia médica en España, 1896-1950

Abstract

This article examines the role played by the Spanish Red Cross (founded in 1864) in the introduction and spread of humanitarian technologies and the development of medical science in Spain, using the case study of medical care for sick and wounded soldiers repatriated during the wars in Cuba, the Philippines and Morocco, and analyzing the impact these measures had on health care and public health among the civilian population. The article shows how this organization set up health care for Spanish soldiers, establishing a network of specialized medical centers that were later also used to provide medical care for civilians and to address new public health problems.