Abstract
The press is considered an influential factor in the various transformations of human societies.
Tarbiyat was the first non-governmental daily newspaper in Iran, published by Mohammad Hossein Foroughi. Throughout its relatively long lifespan of over nine years, the newspaper successfully addressed educational issues. During the Qajar era, Iran witnessed frequent outbreaks of infectious diseases, which affected and claimed the lives of many people. As a result, health and hygiene became a focus for Foroughi, who approached these issues using scientific knowledge.
In writing its medical-related content, the newspaper drew on both foreign doctors and Iranian physicians who had received medical education within the country. This article analyzes how topics related to health and disease were reflected in Tarbiyat through the collection and examination of relevant reports. Key questions include: To what extent were health and disease reported? How frequently did these topics? What was the level of Iranian contribution to writing health-related articles? And how did the newspaper view superstitious health beliefs within society?
Using content analysis as its method, this study explores Tarbiyat’s role in public health education and its critical stance toward unscientific practices, offering a historical perspective on the development of medical discourse in Iran.
Keywords: Tarbiyat Newspape, Hygiene, Medicine, Qajar Era, Content Analysis.
 
Introduction
The Qajar era marked the beginning of a serious encounter between Iranians and Western culture.
During this period, concepts such as state, justice, parliament, law, and individual rights gradually entered the Iranian discourse in their modern forms—concepts that previously had little or no precedent in the country’s traditional culture (Ajodani, 2003: 219). Significant political developments occurred despite major challenges such as prolonged wars, the loss of territories, ineffective diplomacy by Qajar politicians in the face of Russian and British influence, the signing of damaging treaties favoring foreign powers, and the assassination or marginalization of key reformists such as Qaem Maqam Farahani and Amir Kabir. Social and economic hardship was rampant, with widespread poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, hunger, and insecurity. Infectious and deadly diseases were also prevalent. Yet, amidst this adversity, Iranians began to explore new ways of thinking and living, eventually culminating in major events like the Constitutional Revolution.
The return of educated individuals to Iran led to the establishment of the first hospitals, medical schools, and the training of physicians versed in modern medicine. This era also saw the rise of health-related publications in newspapers and books, which significantly contributed to public awareness and laid the groundwork for the transformation of healthcare in Iranian society (Barjesteh, 2011: 2).
This article seeks to answer several key questions: To what extent did Tarbiyat newspaper consider health a significant issue? How frequently and in what volume were topics on hygiene and disease reflected in its articles? What was the level of Iranian participation in writing medical and health-related content? And how did the newspaper critically address superstitious and erroneous health beliefs in society?
The press in Iran does not have a long history, and research into the social history of old Iranian newspapers remains limited. No independent study was found specifically focusing on Tarbiyat newspaper in relation to its coverage of medical and health issues. However, one relevant article titled “Tarbiyat Newspaper and the Educational System in Qajar Iran: Challenges and Proposed Models” explores the newspaper’s critical stance toward educational conditions during the Qajar era and proposes reforms (Motavalli, 2020: pp. 55–78).
Additionally, the book History of Medicine and Medical Practice in Iran by Mohsen Roustaei examines developments from the Qajar era to the end of Reza Shah’s reign using archival documents. Its significance lies in compiling some of the most important historical medical documents, though it mainly serves as a comprehensive collection rather than analytical research. Finally, historical studies on Tarbiyat as part of Iran’s press history can be found in broader works such as A Literary History of Persia by Edward G. Browne and The History of Iranian Newspapers and Magazines by Mohammad Sadr Hāshami, both of which this article has drawn upon.
 
Materials & Methods
This article is a work of social history research using a descriptive-analytical method, based on quantitative data and document-based data collection. It employs content analysis as its primary methodology. Content analysis is considered a specialized method within observational and documentary research and is, by nature, a quantitative approach that transforms qualitative content into measurable data through statistical techniques.
Based on the applications of content analysis, this study examines the representation of health and disease in Tarbiyat newspaper. The unit of analysis in this method consists of the various issues of the newspaper. Each report or news item related to health is treated as an independent unit of analysis and counted accordingly.
 
Discussion and Results
Health and Medical Discourse in the Tarbiyat Newspaper: A Historical Perspective
The Tarbiyat newspaper, a prominent publication during the Qajar era, played a critical role in promoting public health awareness and disseminating medical knowledge in late 19th and early 20th-century Iran. A total of 135 health-related articles were identified and classified into six categories: health and medical education (60.7%), domestic medical news (8.9%), international medical news (7.4%), health-related announcements (6.7%), governmental actions (3.7%), and miscellaneous health topics (12.6%).
Health and medical education constituted the majority of the content. The newspaper published a wide range of instructional articles on infectious diseases such as cholera, diphtheria, smallpox, scarlet fever, and typhoid, often authored by Dr. Basil, a teacher at Dar al-Fonun. These articles aimed at public education, explaining disease symptoms, transmission routes, treatments, and preventive measures in accessible language. Notably, the series coincided with the 1322 AH cholera epidemic, and articles offered timely, practical guidance to the public, including information on vaccination, sanitation, and disease isolation practices.
The newspaper also addressed non-communicable diseases and general health topics such as eye care, sleep hygiene, and child nutrition, highlighting the broader scope of public health concerns. For example, articles warned against the use of narcotics to induce sleep in children and emphasized the importance of storytelling practices and appropriate sleep durations by age.
Domestic health news included reports on cholera outbreaks in cities like Kermanshah, dental hygiene negligence, and educational reforms at medical institutions such as Dar al-Fonun. International health coverage featured updates on disease outbreaks abroad, including cholera in London and yellow fever in the United States, reflecting the editors’ awareness of global medical trends.
Health-related advertisements promoted pharmacies, hygiene products, and free public health services. Government actions such as the establishment of health councils, sanitation efforts, and health education campaigns were documented, indicating increasing institutional involvement in public health.
The Tarbiyat newspaper also highlighted public health challenges posed by traditional beliefs and superstitions, such as reliance on divine protection without preventive measures and harmful folk treatments like bloodletting. Several articles criticized public reluctance toward vaccination and addressed the poor state of patient nutrition and medical training due to the prohibition of autopsies.
Contributors to Tarbiyat included both Iranian and foreign-trained physicians, many of whom were alumni of Dar al-Fonun. Their writings reflected a commitment to modern medical principles, particularly in disease prevention and public education. The presence of translated materials and international health news further illustrates Tarbiyat’s role as a medium of medical modernization and cross-cultural knowledge exchange.
In sum, Tarbiyat served as a crucial platform for public health education, integrating modern medical science with accessible communication strategies. It laid foundational work for institutionalized public health discourse in Iran and provides valuable insight into the intersection of journalism, medicine, and societal transformation during a critical historical juncture.
 
Conclusion
During the Qajar era, Iran was exposed to new elements of modern civilization.
Among these developments, newspapers played an effective and valuable role in increasing public awareness and stimulating social dynamism. Tarbiyat newspaper, with its non-political nature and progressive focus on a variety of scientific subjects, significantly contributed to social transformation by publishing health-related content based on contemporary scientific knowledge.
The present study aims to use the method of content analysis to examine and explain health and medical topics published in Tarbiyat. The newspaper made serious efforts to inform the public about hygiene and health through numerous articles, especially during the outbreaks of contagious diseases—even prior to their onset. In this context, all relevant content, news, and reports from the newspaper related to health and medical care were carefully reviewed, with approximately 135 reports compiled and analyzed using this method. The categorization of the materials also revealed a diversity of Iranian authors contributing health and medical articles to Tarbiyat.
These Iranian physicians were graduates of Dar al-Fonun School, who, after receiving modern medical education, went on to practice medicine and teach it within the country.
According to statistical analysis focused on health and medical themes, it is evident that Mohammad Hossein Foroughi, as the editor-in-chief of Tarbiyat, played a committed and active role in advancing public health. Drawing on his considerable cultural experience, he sought to contribute meaningfully to social progress by publishing scientific medical content. Thus, it can be concluded that Tarbiyat played a significant role in raising public awareness about health, disease, and modern medicine within the restrictive environment of the Qajar period.