On March 20, 1852, a law was passed by the Congress of New Granada that separated the province of Cartagena from the cantons of Barranquilla, Soledad, and Sabanalarga, which became part of the province of Sabanilla, with Barranquilla as the capital [REF].
In 1872, an epidemic with symptoms similar to those of cholera became manifest in the city [REF].