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.
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.
Records are open to the public.
[Item and date], Board of Health Minutes, Volume [number], Record Series 3200-01. Seattle Municipal Archives.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.