Os primórdios da organização do programa nacional de vacinação em Portugal

Nurses nowadays play a major role in achieving the National Vaccination Program, which began in 1965. The origins of this program go back to the early nineteenth century with the foundation of Instituição Vacínica by the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon.This study is part of a broader research project on public health and nurses between the historical periods of Vintismo and Regeneração and aims to describe a wide variety of aspects related to the beginning of Instituição Vacínica’s activity in Portugal. This is a qualitative historical research study, using secondary sources. It describes the foundation and evolution of Instituição Vacínica and the social and political environment that characterized the first half of the nineteenth century. We suggest further studies covering the following period until the establishment of the National Vaccination Program in order to reveal the role played by nurses in this area of public health, with an emphasis on the Serviços de Luta Anti-Tuberculosa.