In 1485, the Duchy of Milan established a permanent health board, creating a bureaucratic framework for public health management. This institution was significant as it laid the groundwork for systematic tracking of infectious diseases and urban sanitation practices. The establishment of such health boards marked an early recognition of the importance of public health in urban governance, influencing future health policies in Europe.

The establishment of the Milanese Permanent Health Board in 1485 introduced a new form of surveillance that altered civic poetry. Poets began to shift from themes of providential doom to secular bureaucratic management, reflecting the changing nature of urban life.