BPHC History

Welcome to public health. We are the nation's first health department and trace our roots back to 1799, when Paul Revere was named Boston's first health officer.

Back then, the board of health was formed to fight a potential outbreak of cholera. Taking innovative strides to save lives, health officials posted signs on lampposts, held meetings and led an early-day public information campaign to reduce deaths due to cholera, a highly preventable disease.

Two hundred years later, that tradition of prevention continues through the Boston Public Health Commission. While we are the country's oldest health department, we pride ourselves on having some of the most innovative services for our residents. Described as "the most activist arm of city government," by the Boston Globe, the Commission has a vigorous commitment to the health of Boston.

	1799	The Boston Board of Health was established with Paul Revere as its president.
	1864	Boston City Hopital opened.
	1869	Massachusetts established the State Board of Health, America's first comprehensive and modern state health department.
	1877	The Boston City Hospital Ambulance Service was established, continuing today as Boston EMS.
	1898	The Rutland Sanatorium, the first state sanatorium for tuberculosis in the United States, opened.
	1902	The Boston City Hospital Relief Station was established at Haymarket.
	1906	Boston established the Consumptive Hospital also as day care center for tuberculosis children and contacts.
	1918	Fifty-two of 101 nurses at Base Hospital No. 7 were from Boston City Hospital and went to France to serve in World War I.
	1967	Four community health centers opened across Boston: Savin Street, East Boston, Harvard Street, and Whittier Street.
	1996	The Boston Public Health Commission was formed, resulting from the merger of Boston City Hospital and Boston University Hospital.
	2003	The Commission's "Clean Air Works Workplace Smoking Restrictions" regulation banned smoking in Boston workplaces, bars, and restaurants.
	2006	Boston became the first city in the nation to address racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare and the work is being replicated in cities across the nation.
	2007	The Commission entered multimedia communication with the launch of the podcast series, Boston Health Click, featuring important public health topics.