Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Board of Health Minutes, 1890-1908
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seattle (Wash.). Board of Health
- Title
- Board of Health Minutes
- Dates
- 1890-1908 (inclusive)18901908
- Quantity
- 2 volumes
- Collection Number
- 3200-01
- Summary
- Minutes of the Board of Health, 1890 to 1908.
- 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 Board of Health was created by the 1890 City Charter with authority to supervise the health and sanitation of the City. The Board comprised three physicians (at least two of whom were in practice), who were appointed by the mayor; board members served staggered three-year terms. The Board was authorized to appoint a physician as Health Officer, who served as board executive and city physician; the Health Officer was also required to make monthly reports of birth, death, and other health-related statistics to the Board. The Board met twice per month.
The Board of Health's further authorizations and responsibilities included declaring quarantines, establishing pesthouses, making inspections of public buildings and schools, closing public buildings in case of epidemic, and appointing officers such as a Plumbing Inspector and Meat Inspector.
The Board of Health was abolished in 1908; the new position of Health Commissioner took over the duties of the Board and the Health Officer.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Board of Health minutes include monthly reports (1890-1892) of the Health Officer with statistical summary of deaths and nuisances reported. Reported in minutes are meeting proceedings, citizen complaints and subsequent Board actions, bills approved, and City Chemist reports on analysis of milk samples. Subjects include births, deaths, sewers, drainage, contagious diseases, building inspections, vital statistics, food inspections, and burials. The original minutes are in two bound volumes.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], Board of Health Minutes, Volume [number], Record Series 3200-01. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Board of Health Minutes, 1890-1908Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | ||
| 1 | Board of Health
Minutes |
1890-1905 |
| 2 | Board of Health
Minutes |
1905-1908 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Building inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Childbirth--Statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Communicable diseases--Statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Food adulteration and inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Health boards--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Mortality--Statistics--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Public health--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Sewerage--Washington (State)--Seattle
Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.). Board of Health
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Form or Genre Terms
- Minutes
Finding aid prepared by Shannon B.
Lynch
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
