# Royal Institute of Public Health

Royal Institute of Public Health merged in 2008 with the Royal Society for Health to form Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH).

## History

The institute was the amalgamation of a few societies. The Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of Health was an English society of metropolitan Medical Officer for Health established on 3 April 1856. In 1869 "Metropolitan" was dropped from the title, and in 1873 it became the Society of Medical Officers of Health, and in 1989 it became the Society of Public Health.

## Timeline

| | Timeline of the Royal Institute of Public Health and Hygiene |
| Year | event |
| 1886 | Formation of the Society of Medical Men Qualified in Sanitary Science, name quickly changed to The Public Health Medical Society |
| 1891 | International Congress on Hygiene in London |
| 1892 | Society Incorporated as British Institute of Public Health |
| 1895 | Harben Gold Medal and lectureship inaugurated |
| 1897 | Queen Victoria becomes patron and issues letters patent. Name changed to Royal Institute of Public Health |
| 1901 | King Edward VII becomes patron |
| 1903 | Institute of Hygiene Limited registered as a company "for the advancement of knowledge of hygiene (especially personal and domestic) and for establishing a museum of hygiene to exhibit articles of merit" |
| 1904 | Report of RIPH Committee on Bacterial Examination of Water |
| 1905 | RIPH laboratories open for chemical, bacterial, and pathological specimens |
| 1907 | Midlands Counties Branch becomes the first IH provincial branch |
| 1908 | Further provincial IH branches approved |
| 1909 | IH makes public appeal to help finance rapid development |
| 1910 | King George V becomes RIPH patron |
| 1912 | RIPH launch appeal for £3000 for building work. W. H. Lever donates £600 for the foundation of a museum |
| 1913 | RIPH Lever Museum inaugurated |
| 1914 | Queen visits RIPH |
| 1915 | IH involved in the design of respirators for use of public in the event of a gas attack |
| 1916 | Secretary of RIPH and four doctors are killed in action |
| 1917 | IH offer their services to new Ministry of Food (offer rejected) |
| 1918 | January–February IH Food Saving exhibition |
| 1920 | IH replaces monthly Periodical Letter to Members with Health Notes |
| 1923 | IH Membership Badge instituted |
| 1924 | IH Journal replaces Health Notes |
| 1925 | IH new headquarters at 28 Portland Place opened by Princess Mary on 5 June |
| 1926 | Leicester Personal Health Association becomes affiliated with IH |
| 1927 | Department of State Medicine of RIPH set up to train London medical students in forensic medicine and toxicology |
| 1928 | IH becomes an associate member of the Central Council for Health Education |
| 1929 | IH granted Royal Charter of Incorporation |
| 1930 | RIPH public lectures on birth control |
| 1931 | RIPH public lectures on Health of the Citizen |
| 1932 | RIPH begin negotiations with Royal Sanitary Institute, and later the Institute of Hygiene and the British Social Hygiene Council, for amalgamation |
| 1933 | Opening of 23 Queen Square as new RIPH headquarters |
| 1934 | RIPH negotiations with Royal Sanitary Institute terminated |
| 1935 | Negotiations between RIPH and IH reopened. Draft agreement for amalgamation reached |
| 1937 | IH supplemental charter granted by Privy Council |
| 1938 | Journals combined |
| 1940 | Exhibition and lectures on Food and Fitness |
| 1947 | First Bengue Memorial Award lecture |
| 1948 | RIPHH publishes History of State medicine in England by Sir A. Macnalty |
| 1949 | Provincial health lectures start at Leicester |
| 1951 | Queen Elizabeth II becomes patron |
| 1954 | Abortive discussions on amalgamation with Royal Sanitary Institute |
| 1958 | Courses on Food Hygiene and the Handling of Food introduced |
| 1962 | Closure of Hygiene Museum |
| 1977 | Closure of laboratories |

## Presidents

Past presidents include:
* John Simon, first president
* Lawson Soulsby, Baron Soulsby of Swaffham Prior
* Nora Wattie

## Publications

* Public Health (journal), now owned by Royal Society for Public Health.

## Previous publications

* Journal of State Medicine
* Health & Hygiene