Chronology of Events |
Detailed Timeline &
Analysis for Historical
and Academic Studies
1700
1798
The Marine Hospital Service was established with the July 16 signing by President John Adams of an
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen.
j j j j j j j j
1799
An amending act of March 2 extended benefits of the Marine Hospital Service to officers and men of
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the U.S. Navy.
j j
1800
1802
The admission of foreign seamen to Marine hospitals on a reimbursable basis was authorized on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
May 3. j
1803
The first permanent Marine hospital was authorized on May 3 to be built in Boston, Mass. 1807
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse was appointed physician in charge of the Boston Marine Hospital on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
November 27. He was the first to introduce interns and residents into hospitals in the United States.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
1836
The Library of the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army was established (the present National
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Library of Medicine). j j
1865
John Shaw Billings, M.D., was assigned to supervise the Surgeon General's Library, which he built
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
into a national resource of biomedical literature.
j j j j j j
,1870
A bill dated June 29 provided for administration of Marine hospitals within a Bureau of the Treasury
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Department with a medical officer in charge. j j j j j j
1871
Dr.John Maynard Woodworth wasappointed supervising surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
in April, marking the beginning of central control of Marine hospitals.
j j j j j j j j j j
1873
Regulations were approved on December 1 for appointment and promotion of physicians in the
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Marine Hospital Service, establishing the first career service for civilian employees in the Federal
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Government.
1875
A bill passed on March 3 authorized admission of Navy seamen and seamen of other government
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
services to Marine hospitals on a reimbursable basis.
j j j j j j j
In recognition of Dr. Woodworth's progress in reorganizing the Marine Hospital Service, his title was
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
changed by law to supervising Surgeon General on March 3.
j j j j j j j j j
1878
The first Federal Quarantine Act was passed April 29.
j j j j j j j j
On December 21,Congress appropriated funds "for investigating the origin and causes of epidemic
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
diseases, especially yellow fever and cholera."
j j j j j
1879
The National Board of Health was created by law on March 3. It represented the first organized,
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
comprehensive, national medical research effort of the Federal Government. j j j j j j j j
Dr. John B. Hamilton was appointed Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital Service, April 3. 1884
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
,The seamen's hospital tax was abolished on July 1. The cost of maintaining Marine hospitals was
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
paid out of a tonnage tax, which continued until 1906.
j j j j j j j j j
1887
A bacteriological laboratory, known as the Laboratory of Hygiene, was established under Dr. Joseph
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
J. Kinyoun at the Marine Hospital, Staten Island, N.Y., in August, for research on cholera and other
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
infectious diseases (renamed Hygienic Laboratory in 1891.)
j j j j j j
1889
The commissioned corps was authorized on January 4 establishing by law the policy of a mobile corps
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
subject to duty anywhere upon assignment.
j j j j j
1890
Congress gave the Marine Hospital Service interstate quarantine authority on March 27.
j j j j j j j j j j j j
1891
The Hygienic Laboratory moved from Staten Island,N.Y., to the Butler Building, Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Headquarters, Washington, D.C., in June. j j j j
Dr. Walter Wyman was appointed Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital Service on June 1. 1893
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
A new Quarantine Act, passed February 15, strengthened the Quarantine Act of 1878 and repealed
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the act establishing the National Board of Health.
j j j j j j j
1899
The Marine Hospital Service was directed by Congress on March 2 to investigate leprosy in the United
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
States.
Dr. Milton J. Rosenau succeeded Dr. Kinyoun as director of the Hygienic Laboratory on May 1. 1900
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
1902
, The earliest studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever took place in Montana.
j j j j j j j j j j j
A bill approved July 1 changed the name of the Marine Hospital Service to the Public Health and
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Marine Hospital Service and established an advisory board for the Hygienic Laboratory. It later
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
became the National Advisory Health Council.j j j j j
The 57th Congress enacted Public Law 244 to regulate the shipment of biologics. The technical
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
responsibilities of the program were assigned to the Hygienic Laboratory. j j j j j j j j j
The Advisory Board for the Biologics Control Division was established July 1.
j j j j j j j j j j j
The Pan American Sanitary Bureau was established December 2. The Public Health and Marine
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Hospital Service began international health cooperation.
j j j j j
1904
The Hygienic Laboratory moved to a new building on a 5-acre tract at 25th and E Streets NW,
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Washington, D.C., on March 16. j j j j
1906
Medical care for merchant seamen and other beneficiaries of the Public Health and Marine
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Hospital Service began to be supported bydirect congressional appropriations, with the repeal of the
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
tonnage tax on June 30.
j j j j j
1909
Dr. John F. Anderson was appointed Hygienic Laboratory director on October 1. 1910
j j j j j j j j j j j j
1912
Dr. Rupert Blue was appointed Surgeon General of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
on January 13.
j j
The name Public Health and Marine Hospital Service was changed to Public Health Service (PHS) on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
August 14, and the research program was expanded to include other-than-communicable diseases
j j j j j j j j j j j j
field investigations, navigable stream pollution, and information dissemination.
j j j j j j j
Detailed Timeline &
Analysis for Historical
and Academic Studies
1700
1798
The Marine Hospital Service was established with the July 16 signing by President John Adams of an
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen.
j j j j j j j j
1799
An amending act of March 2 extended benefits of the Marine Hospital Service to officers and men of
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the U.S. Navy.
j j
1800
1802
The admission of foreign seamen to Marine hospitals on a reimbursable basis was authorized on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
May 3. j
1803
The first permanent Marine hospital was authorized on May 3 to be built in Boston, Mass. 1807
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse was appointed physician in charge of the Boston Marine Hospital on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
November 27. He was the first to introduce interns and residents into hospitals in the United States.
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
1836
The Library of the Office of the Surgeon General of the Army was established (the present National
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Library of Medicine). j j
1865
John Shaw Billings, M.D., was assigned to supervise the Surgeon General's Library, which he built
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
into a national resource of biomedical literature.
j j j j j j
,1870
A bill dated June 29 provided for administration of Marine hospitals within a Bureau of the Treasury
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Department with a medical officer in charge. j j j j j j
1871
Dr.John Maynard Woodworth wasappointed supervising surgeon of the Marine Hospital Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
in April, marking the beginning of central control of Marine hospitals.
j j j j j j j j j j
1873
Regulations were approved on December 1 for appointment and promotion of physicians in the
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Marine Hospital Service, establishing the first career service for civilian employees in the Federal
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Government.
1875
A bill passed on March 3 authorized admission of Navy seamen and seamen of other government
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
services to Marine hospitals on a reimbursable basis.
j j j j j j j
In recognition of Dr. Woodworth's progress in reorganizing the Marine Hospital Service, his title was
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
changed by law to supervising Surgeon General on March 3.
j j j j j j j j j
1878
The first Federal Quarantine Act was passed April 29.
j j j j j j j j
On December 21,Congress appropriated funds "for investigating the origin and causes of epidemic
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
diseases, especially yellow fever and cholera."
j j j j j
1879
The National Board of Health was created by law on March 3. It represented the first organized,
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
comprehensive, national medical research effort of the Federal Government. j j j j j j j j
Dr. John B. Hamilton was appointed Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital Service, April 3. 1884
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
,The seamen's hospital tax was abolished on July 1. The cost of maintaining Marine hospitals was
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
paid out of a tonnage tax, which continued until 1906.
j j j j j j j j j
1887
A bacteriological laboratory, known as the Laboratory of Hygiene, was established under Dr. Joseph
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
J. Kinyoun at the Marine Hospital, Staten Island, N.Y., in August, for research on cholera and other
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
infectious diseases (renamed Hygienic Laboratory in 1891.)
j j j j j j
1889
The commissioned corps was authorized on January 4 establishing by law the policy of a mobile corps
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
subject to duty anywhere upon assignment.
j j j j j
1890
Congress gave the Marine Hospital Service interstate quarantine authority on March 27.
j j j j j j j j j j j j
1891
The Hygienic Laboratory moved from Staten Island,N.Y., to the Butler Building, Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Headquarters, Washington, D.C., in June. j j j j
Dr. Walter Wyman was appointed Surgeon General of the Marine Hospital Service on June 1. 1893
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
A new Quarantine Act, passed February 15, strengthened the Quarantine Act of 1878 and repealed
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
the act establishing the National Board of Health.
j j j j j j j
1899
The Marine Hospital Service was directed by Congress on March 2 to investigate leprosy in the United
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
States.
Dr. Milton J. Rosenau succeeded Dr. Kinyoun as director of the Hygienic Laboratory on May 1. 1900
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
1902
, The earliest studies of Rocky Mountain spotted fever took place in Montana.
j j j j j j j j j j j
A bill approved July 1 changed the name of the Marine Hospital Service to the Public Health and
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Marine Hospital Service and established an advisory board for the Hygienic Laboratory. It later
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
became the National Advisory Health Council.j j j j j
The 57th Congress enacted Public Law 244 to regulate the shipment of biologics. The technical
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
responsibilities of the program were assigned to the Hygienic Laboratory. j j j j j j j j j
The Advisory Board for the Biologics Control Division was established July 1.
j j j j j j j j j j j
The Pan American Sanitary Bureau was established December 2. The Public Health and Marine
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Hospital Service began international health cooperation.
j j j j j
1904
The Hygienic Laboratory moved to a new building on a 5-acre tract at 25th and E Streets NW,
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Washington, D.C., on March 16. j j j j
1906
Medical care for merchant seamen and other beneficiaries of the Public Health and Marine
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
Hospital Service began to be supported bydirect congressional appropriations, with the repeal of the
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
tonnage tax on June 30.
j j j j j
1909
Dr. John F. Anderson was appointed Hygienic Laboratory director on October 1. 1910
j j j j j j j j j j j j
1912
Dr. Rupert Blue was appointed Surgeon General of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
on January 13.
j j
The name Public Health and Marine Hospital Service was changed to Public Health Service (PHS) on
j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j j
August 14, and the research program was expanded to include other-than-communicable diseases
j j j j j j j j j j j j
field investigations, navigable stream pollution, and information dissemination.
j j j j j j j
