The Healthiest City: Milwaukee and the Politics of Health Reform

Chronological Outline of Public Health History in Milwaukee

Chronological Outline of Public Health History in Milwaukee 1837 Milwaukee incorporated as a village 1843 Smallpox epidemic 1845 Milwaukee Medical Association formed 1846 Milwaukee incorporated as a city consolidating three sections Smallpox epidemic 1849 Cholera epidemic 1850 Population: 20,061 More than one-third of Milwaukee's population German 1860 Population: 45,246 1862 Anti-hog ordinance 1864 Citizen petition to state legislature to establish an independent Board of Health 1867 Permanent Board of Health established by state legislature Dr. James Johnson appointed President of the Board of Health 1868 Smallpox epidemic; vaccination campaign Passavant Hospital accepts city smallpox patients Schools closed due to smallpox in second, sixth, and ninth wards E. S. Chesbrough survey for city water works 1870 Population: 71,440 Death Rate: 20.93 1871 Appropriation to begin construction of Chesbrough's water works Sewer pipes laid 265 Copyrighted Material CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY Milwaukee City dispensary opened Smallpox epidemic; vaccination campaign 1872 Smallpox epidemic hits German population most severely 61 percent of all deaths under five years of age 1874 Health officer attempts slaughter house regulation City water works opened 1875 "Swill children" replaced as garbage collectors by ward contracts 1876 Smallpox epidemic, hits immigrant Poles and Germans hardest Push for city hospital Wisconsin State Board of Health established (tenth in nation ) 1877 Dr. Isaac H. Stearns appointed health officer Prohibition on cutting ice below sewers Health officer requests asphalt pavement for health reasons ; ignored. Milwaukee streets paved with wood Housing recommendations ignored by council Purchase of land in eleventh ward for city hospital Placard ordinance Vaccination required for children to be admitted to public schools 1878 Dr. Orlando W. Wight appointed Milwaukee's first health commissioner Board of Health becomes department of health Health survey of public schools Garbage contract let for whole city; disposal by feed and land fill General milk ordinance prohibiting sale of impure milk; no enforcement provision 1879 Public suspicion of contamination in water supply River nuisance Night scavengers licensed and inspected by health department City Isolation Hospital opened; no sewer or water connections Crisis in garbage collection; six weeks with none Survey of dairies conducted by health department Milk ordinance rejected 1880 Population: 115,587 Death Rate: 20.68 266 Copyrighted Material CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY Two assistants added to health commissioner's staff Restrictions put on slaughtering process Report of expert engineers-E. S. Chesbrough, George Waring and Moses Lane-submitted on intercepting sewers 1881 Dr. Robert Martin appointed health commissioner Smallpox "scare" 1882 Milk survey conducted by health department; Sentinel exposes foul conditions of urban dairies 1883 Milk legislation fails to pass 1886 Health commissioner collected and disposed of city garbage ; dumped in Lake Michigan 1887 River nuisance leads to appropriation for Milwaukee River Flushing Tunnel Contract let to cremate city garbage Milk ordinance passed to inspect milk and license vendors 1888 Ordinance restricts cattle slaughter to proscribed limits American Public Health Association holds annual meeting in Milwaukee Milwaukee River Flushing Tunnel completed Storing of pure and polluted ice in same ice house prohibited Compromise milk ordinance passed requiring registration in lieu of licensing; no inspections Milk price jumps from 5¢ to 7¢ a quart 1889 Merz rendering plant disposes of city garbage 1890 Population: 204,468 Death Rate: 18.33 Dr. V.O.B. Wingate appointed health commissioner Garbage "temporarily" dumped into Lake Michigan 1891 New water intake Health commissioner recommends school medical inspections ; no action Milwaukee Anti-Vaccination Society established Milk ordinance provides for licensure of milk dealers, inspections , and outlaws sale of swill milk 1892 Butchering within city proscribed; required to connect to city's sewer system Privy vault construction limited and regulated Johnston Emergency Hospital opened Cholera threat 267 Copyrighted Material CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY Health commISSIOner given power to remove to hospital anyone suffering from contagious disease who is dangerous to the public health "Garbage campaign" led to contract with the Wisconsin Rendering Company to operate Merz plant in Mequon 1893 City Isolation Hospital remodelled Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons opened State law provided for appointment of Registrar of Vital Statistics 1894 Dr. Walter Kempster appointed health commissioner Smallpox epidemic; riots Diphtheria antitoxin available in city Repeal of forcible removal ordinance Milwaukee Medical College opens 1895 Dr. Kempster impeached and removed from office Dr. H. E. Bradley appointed acting health commissioner Diphtheria stations around the city distribute free antitoxin 1896 Dr. Kempster reinstated as health commissioner Five assistants and food analyst added to staff Laboratory begins...