Investigating public health developments in Isfahan in the late 13th and early 14th centuries AH

Isfahan lacked suitable sanitation during the Qajar era. Some significant issues were the lack of healthy drinking water, unsanitary baths, and sewage disposal. In the Zell-e-Sultan period, due to some corrective measures, the health condition of the city improved partly. Based on the documents, newspapers, and publications related to the subject and using descriptive-analytical and library methods, this article aimed to answer the questions of what changes the public health of Isfahan underwent around 1325-1285 AH, and what was the perception and approach of the elites and society towards it. The findings showed that the government performed reforms such as moving contaminated production centers like tanneries out of the city, paving dirt alleys, banning the transportation of corpses to Atabat, founding a city doctors' association, building hospitals, and efforts for the hygiene of water, sewage, and baths in Isfahan with the help of the elites. However, despite the measures and attempts of newspapers to increase public awareness in the field of modern health, this structure was not stable, which could be attributed to the society's general perception and approach, especially the rulers and elites, to the issue of health. Because the health measures of the government in this period should be explained in the form of ancient philosophy, the duty of the sultan to protect the subjects and prosperity of the country, and among the charitable works and the long-standing tradition of endowment in the society, not as one of the stable and infrastructural functions of the government.