Unknown Facts: Rosa A. González’s Los hechos desconocidos and the Passage of Law 77 in Puerto Rico

Speaker: Cathy Cabrera-Figueroa

In 1929, nurse Rosa A. González published Los hechos desconocidos (Unknown Facts), a groundbreaking exposé that revealed serious deficiencies within San Juan's Municipal Hospital. At a time when healthcare institutions were heavily influenced by political patronage, González documented inadequate patient care, shortages of essential supplies, poor working conditions, and the harmful consequences of administrative mismanagement. Her critique challenged powerful interests and positioned her among the earliest healthcare whistleblowers in Puerto Rico.

Drawing upon her education, clinical experience, and leadership within Puerto Rico's nursing organizations, González elevated nursing from a subordinate occupation into a respected and regulated profession. Her efforts contributed to the passage of Law 77 of 1930 and the creation of Puerto Rico's Nurse Examining Board. This presentation explores González's activism within the larger context of health reform, women's leadership, and professionalization in colonial Puerto Rico, demonstrating the role of nurses in shaping healthcare policy, education, and institutional accountability.

Cathy Cabrera-Figueroa is a doctoral candidate in the Department of History at the Graduate Center, CUNY, studying Latin American History with a focus on Puerto Rico. She has an M.Phil. and an M.A. in History from CUNY, an M.A. from the Liberal Studies program at Lehman College, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fordham University. Her current research focuses on nurses in Puerto Rico in the early 20th century, their contributions to healthcare access and disease prevention, and how external forces, including American institutions, influenced their training and practice.

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For more information: The Bjoring History Center