Health Officer Reports, 1900-1901

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
Title
Health Officer Reports
Dates
1900-1901 (inclusive)
Quantity
.4 cubic foot, (1 box)
Collection Number
1802-B9
Summary
Monthly narrative and statistical reports of the Health Officer, 1900-1901. Reports include birth, mortality, and infectious disease statistics as well as records of inspections.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The 1890 Charter established a Board of Health. Among the Board's duties was appointment of a Health Officer who would act as "city physician" and serve as the executive of the Board.

The Health Officer had the responsibility of enforcing city health ordinances and the Board of Health's regulations; other duties included visiting public buildings and reporting on their level of sanitation, making monthly and annual reports on birth, death, and disease statistics, and recording births, deaths, and burials. The physicians and midwives of the city were obligated to report births, occurrences of infectious disease, and deaths to the Health Officer, who was also responsible for issuing permits for disinterment and exhumation.

The Health Officer was also involved with quarantining citizens suffering from "smallpox, yellow fever, Asiatic cholera, or other infectious disease" as necessary; flags and placards indicating the nature of the disease were posted at the houses of the ill, and the names of infected persons were reported to the Police Department, superintendent of schools, and the public librarian.

In 1908, the mayor-appointed position of Commissioner of Health took over the powers and responsibilities of both the Health Officer and the Board of Health.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Health Officer Monthly Reports (1900-1901) are narrative and statistical reports on public health concerns including birth, mortality, and infectious disease reports. Also included are statistics on plumbing inspections, quarantine reports, meat, milk, and other food inspection reports, slaughterhouse reports, and general sanitation reports.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Health Officer Reports, Record Series 1802-B9. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Reports are arranged chronologically by month and year.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box
1 Health Officer Reports 1900-1901

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Childbirth--Statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Communicable diseases--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Community health services--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Dairy inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Food adulteration and inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Meat inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Mortality--Statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Plumbing--Inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Public health--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Quarantine--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Sanitation--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Slaughtering and slaughter-houses--Inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Monthly reports
  • Vital statistics records

Occupations

  • Health officers--Washington (State)--Seattle

Other Creators

  • Corporate Names
    • Seattle (Wash.). Health Officer (creator)