Bacteriological discoveries of the last third of the nineteenth century gave rise to radical shifts in understanding the causes and methods of controlling infectious diseases. In Quebec, between 1880-1900, two physicians and a women's organization led the health education movement. We describe firstly the origins of that movement within the context of public health conditions. Secondly we analyze the content of an educational popular periodical: Le Journal d'hygiène populaire, which the two physicians edited in succession. Lastly, we discuss the establishment and contributions of the Montreal Local Council of Women (MLCW).