Magistrate for Health

The Magistrate for Health (Italian: Magistrato alla Sanità) was a magistracy of the Republic of Venice instituted in 1485 to manage public health in the city of Venice and its territories, with specific attention to preventing the spread of epidemics within the maritime republic. The magistracy was expanded several times, notably in 1556 with the introduction of a supervisory role and in 1563 with a regulatory body. It was among the first health authorities in Europe to institute public inoculation projects to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. The office of the Magistrate for Health was retained until the Fall of the Republic of Venice, during which tumultuous time it was briefly replaced by a health committee and eventually superseded by other magistracies entirely.