How did public health care develop in Vienna during the reigns of Maria Theresa and Joseph II?

Public health care in Vienna underwent significant development during the 18th century, driven by the pragmatic reforms of Maria Theresa and the enlightened policies of her son, Joseph II.

Maria Theresa’s Reforms

Maria Theresa’s approach to public health was largely guided by practical considerations rather than humanitarian theory. She empowered her physician, the Dutchman Gerhard van Swieten, to implement major changes at the University of Vienna. These reforms included:
* Integrating the university’s medical school with the city’s embryonic public health service.
* Introducing textbooks to standardize medical education.
* Removing the university from the control of the Jesuits to place it under state authority.

Joseph II’s Contributions

Joseph II continued this reforming spirit, viewing the care of the sick as a vital service to the community. His most notable achievement in this field was the founding of the General Hospital in 1784. Furthermore, Joseph’s monastic reforms were explicitly linked to his belief that religious institutions should engage in useful work; he mandated that monasteries not involved in activities such as the care of the sick or education should be dissolved, with their assets redirected to support community needs.