[By G. C. Ashmun, M. D., Health Officer, Cleveland, O.]
In the summer of 1873 a few gentlemen met at Long Branch, New Jersey,
and organized as the “American Public Health Association.” At that time
there were but few state boards of health, and local boards were not
generally efficient; and it was one of the chief objects of the American
Public Health Association to aid in the establishment of health and
sanitary organizations throughout the country. Prominent among the
original members of the association were gentlemen from the Mississippi
valley. For a long time the cities and towns of that valley had suffered
from visitations of yellow fever, and men had become somewhat
enlightened by the good results obtained from the course pursued by
certain officers during the war. Especially was this true in New
Orleans, and the question was fairly raised whether local conditions
were not responsible for the disastrous outbreaks which had occurred so
frequently.
From 1873 to the present time, there have been annual meetings of the
association, with a greatly enlarged membership. A large result of the
efforts of the association and its members is seen in the national,
state and local boards of health, and other sanitary organizations
throughout the country. But three of the states are now without state
organizations. The recent meeting in Washington was its “thirteenth
annual,” and was as well attended and its members as enthusiastic as at
any. The members were “welcomed” on behalf the medical fraternity of
Washington by the venerable Dr. J. M. Toner, and by the district
authorities through the President of the Board of Commissioners, Judge
Edmonds. These remarks were followed by the usual address by the
president of the association, Dr. Reeves of West Virginia.
The chief point, perhaps, of Dr. Reeves' address, and the one calling
out most expressions of approval, was the arraignment of Congress for
its failure to provide means for the support of the National Board of
Health. He cited the liberality shown to care for domestic animals, the
fisheries, the Indians, and, indeed, almost every conceivable object,
but Congress was unwilling to grant even a sum sufficient for gathering
and publishing the reports from local boards. He expressed a strong
feeling against the attempt to have the work for which the National
Board was created to perform, done by the Marine Hospital Service.
A large part of the time of the meetings was taken up in hearing reports
from committees appointed at the meeting in St. Louis, 1884. Among these
reports were some of great interest. Prof. Sargent, of Harvard, gave a
report upon “School Hygiene in American Schools and Colleges,” and this
was enlarged by a paper from Dr. Hartwell, of John Hopkins University,
on “The German System of Physical Education.” At this meeting prizes
were to be awarded, in accordance with the wish of Mr. Lomb, of Baush &
Lomb, Rochester. The subjects were: