Ohio History Journal

LOCAL BOARDS OF HEALTH IN OHIO DURING

THE PERIOD, 1835-1858

 

By ROBERT G. PATERSON, Ph. D.

 

Early pioneers in the settlement of Ohio brought with them

the ideas, methods, and practices which prevailed among the

colonists on the Atlantic Seaboard. This was true especially in

their struggles with epidemic diseases. Today, it is difficult for

us to recreate the stark fear with which our forefathers awaited

an approaching epidemic. Scarcely a winter went by without a

wide-spread epidemic of smallpox, diphtheria, scarlet fever,

cholera, and the many so-called childhood diseases.

This fear was enhanced by the ineffective means and methods

for dealing with each of these diseases and by the utter sense of

helplessness which ensued. An analysis of the reaction of these

early pioneers toward such epidemics reveals three broad general

attitudes: first, to flee before the on-coming epidemic if it were

at all possible; second, to remain and to put their trust in Provi-

dence that they might escape the disease; and third, a few more

hardy and courageous individuals would band themselves together

as a committee and by advice through broadsides and the public

press seek to keep the people calm in the face of the threatened

danger.

The first comprehensive written account of epidemics in Ohio

was written by Samuel Prescott Hildreth, M. D.,¹ of Marietta, in

his presidential address before the Ohio Medical Convention at

Cleveland, May 14, 1839.   Localized epidemics were described

earlier by Andrew Ellicot2 at Gallipolis, and Harrison3 at Chilli-

cothe and to which Hildreth refers.

Hildreth4 listed epidemics as follows:--

1 Samuel P. Hildreth, "Address of the President," Medical Convention of Ohio,

Proceedings, 1839, 4-35.

2 M. Andres Ellicot, "Yellow Fever in the Western Country," Medical Repository

(New York, 1797-1824), IV (1800), 74.

3 Harrison, ibid., X (1808), 64.

4 Hildreth, "Address," 4-35.

(380)

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-1858                  381

 

1790-95--the settlement of Belpre suffered from small pox

and scarlatina.

1796   --malignant fever at Gallipolis

1800-1 --epidemic fever at Chillicothe

1807  --epidemic fever, very general

1813  --measles

1822-3 --epidemic fever. The Great Epidemic

1824-5 --measles and scarlatina

1826   --influenza

1832-3 --epidemic cholera

Among the writings of Daniel Drake, M. D.,⁵ there are two

accounts of the epidemic cholera of 1832; the one dealing with

the epidemic as it raged in Cincinnati; the other, a practical

treatise on epidemic cholera.

Again in the proceedings of the Ohio Medical Convention we

find the next comprehensive written account of epidemics in

Ohio when G. S. B. Hempstead, M. D.,⁶ of Portsmouth presented

a paper before the convention in 1842 at Cincinnati. His account

coincides in general with that of Hildreth with the addition of

one account of epidemics of measles and milk-sickness in 1841.

Here, then, is the background for the creation of local boards

of health. As in colonial times and the early years of the Federal

Union, Ohio followed this early practice of creating boards of

health to meet a threatened epidemic. These boards were granted

authority, sometimes plenary, sometimes restricted, depending

upon the extent and severity of the epidemic. As a rule, as soon

as the threat abated, these boards either were forgotten, became

inactive or were abolished. From 1835 to 1850 this was the prac-

tice throughout Ohio.

As would be expected the first legislation on sanitary matters

occurred in Cincinnati. Otto Juettner7 gives an account of such

actions beginning in 1802 when the town council passed an ordi-

nance to prevent the carcasses of animals lying in any of the

streets, alleys, lanes, or commons. In 1804 a smallpox ordinance

 

5 Daniel Drake, An Account of the Epidemic Cholera as It Appeared in Cincin-

nati (Cincinnati, 1832), 46; Daniel Drake, History, Prevention, and Treatment of

Epidemic Cholera (Cincinnati, 1832), 180.

6 G. S. B. Hempstead, "On the Topography and Diseases of Scioto County,

Ohio," Medical Convention of Ohio, Proceedings, 1842, 16-44.

7 Otto Juettner, Daniel Drake and His Followers (Cincinnati, 1909), 86.

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382   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

provided for the isolation of patients and vaccination. Death re-

turns by physicians was made compulsory by an ordinance of

1813, which was amended in 1816. A Board of Health consisting

of five members was established by ordinance in 1826, undoubtedly

brought about by the epidemic of influenza. So far as can be as-

certained this is the first legislation in Ohio on the subject.

The early history of local boards of health in Ohio is shrouded

in the gray mists of confusion. It is safe to say that from 1788

to 1851 the establishment of local boards of health was on a

temporary and transient basis. With the adoption of the new

Constitution for the State in 1851 provision was made in Article

13, Section 6, for the General Assembly to provide for the organi-

zation of cities and incorporated villages by general law. Accord-

ingly in 1852, the General Assembly passed an act which, among

other provisions, gave to city councils the right to establish boards

of health if they so desired.

Under this act, only one city had established a board of health

by 1858. That city was Mt. Vernon, which provided for such a

board in 1854. J. M. Toner,⁸ in a report to the American Public

Health Association9 at its first meeting in 1873, discussed the

development of boards of health in the United States and gives

the dates for Ohio as follows: Mt. Vernon, 1854; Cleveland,

1859; Ironton, 1863; Cincinnati, 1865; Hamilton, 1865; Xenia,

1866; Dayton, 1867; Toledo, 1867; Youngstown, 1868; Ports-

mouth, 1869, and Warren, 1872.

Ideas concerning epidemic diseases, as to cause, treatment,

and prevention during the period under discussion, explain in

large measure the slow development of local boards of health not

only in Ohio, but throughout the Nation as well. These ideas

were developed rapidly during the last years of the 18th century

and became crystallized in the wording of the Massachusetts

Health Act of 1797.

Causation was related to dirt and disease, sewer gas, offensive

trades, and pig-pens. These explanations gave rise to the so-called

 

8 J. M. Toner, "Boards of Health in the United States," American Public Health

Association, Public Health Papers and Reports, 1873, 499-521.

9 This association  was organized in  1872 and has had a continuous existence to

the present day.

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY, 1835-1858              383

 

nuisance laws and ordinances. Throughout the period under dis-

cussion the belief in Ohio, as well as elsewhere, was that the

source of these diseases was to be found in a filthy environment.

Treatment of these diseases followed this generally accepted

practice of the time. These consisted of bleeding, free evacua-

tions, use of alkalies, Peruvian bark as a tonic, and liberal use

of calomel and mercury.

Prevention did not extend beyond the age-old application of

isolation and quarantine. The people generally were content to

escape or ride through an epidemic without much thought of the

possibility of "nipping an epidemic in the bud."10

The real beginning of the boards of health began somewhat

after the end of the period under discussion and the substantial

programs of boards of health as we know them today, did not be-

gin to be formulated until 1870 and after.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Geddes Smith, Plague on Us (New York, 1941). This is an excellent discussion

of the whole subject, from the viewpoint of the laity and the profession.

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