This article analyzes the development of successive outbreaks of bubonic plague as a health problem in the port of Arica between 1903 and 1928, with the aim of deepening local political-medical responses to the epidemic. This work covers the period from the arrival of the first outbreaks in the northern regions of Chile to the discovery of antibiotics, which were decisive in reducing the disease. Through the perspective of the cultural history of medicine, various historical sources are addressed, including the press, bibliography, specialized literature and documents from the Vicente Dagnino Historical Archive. From this base, the constitution of the Sanitary Station, the action of the lazareto, the activities of the doctors in the city, the sanitation policies and the impact of the plague in the area of the valleys stand out. Finally, the relevance of pharmacological advances and progress in public health are studied as fundamental elements in improving quality of life.