# Public Health Act of 1879

Public Health Act of 1879 or National Board of Health Act, 1879 was a United States federal statute authorizing the creation of the National Board of Health. The Act of Congress was an appeal for a national public health organization and national quarantine system for purposes of contagious or infectious diseases discovered in nineteenth century America. The United States public law sanctioned the newly formed National Health Board and Academy of Sciences to provide reports concerning public health information with regards to the Perpetual Union or States for the purposes of;
* ☆ Isolation or quarantine of contagious diseases or disease outbreaks
* ☆ Hygiene and sanitation for domiciles or States administrative divisions as related to inland and maritime provinces

## Provisions of the Act

The forty-fifth United States Congress authored the public law as four sections sanctioning the needs for conformity concerning public health incidences, uniformity of incident reports, and a national public health organization.
    Sec. 1 - Creation of National Board of Health
       Consist of seven members
          Appointed by the President
          Advice and consent of the Senate
          Not more than one of whom shall be appointed from any one State
       Compensation of civilian members
          Ten dollars per diem
       Meetings
          Meet in Washington within thirty days after the passage of this Act
          Meet for special examinations and investigations at any place or places within the United States, or at foreign ports
          Meet as deemed best, to aid in the execution of this Act and the promotion of its objectives
    Sec. 2 - Duties
       Obtain information upon all matters affecting the public health of the States
       Advise several departments of the government, executives of several States, and Commissioners of the District of Columbia
       Opinion of the board and advice to the preservation and improvement of public health for the States
    Sec. 3 - Report
       National Board of Health and Academy of Science to report directly to Congress at its next session
          Full Report concerning statement of transactions and plan for a national public health organization
          Plan shall be prepared after consultation with principal sanitary organizations and sanitarians of States or United States
          Plan shall have special attention to the subject of quarantine, both maritime and inland
          Plan for State or local systems of quarantine and a national quarantine system
    Sec. 4 - Appropriation
       Appropriation of fifty thousand dollars for the purposes of this Act
          Salaries and expenses for National Board of Health
          Appropriation to carry out this Act

## Associated United States Statutes

Public Health Acts for Epidemic Diseases :
| Date of Enactment | Public Law No. | U.S. Statute | U.S. Bill No. | U.S. Presidential Administration |
| April 18, 1879 | P.L. 46-1 | 21 Stat. 1 | S. 55 | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| June 2, 1879 | P.L. 46-11 | 21 Stat. 5 | S. 108 | Rutherford B. Hayes |
| July 1, 1879 | P.L. 46-61 | 21 Stat. 46 | S. 675 | Rutherford B. Hayes |

## United States quarantine stations of 1888

In 1888, the 50th United States Congress passed legislation to enhance and improve the quarantine service at ports of entry. Eight quarantine stations for the United States coast to coast territorial waters were established.
* Cape Charles, Virginia
* Port Townsend, Washington
* Delaware Breakwater
* San Diego Harbor, California
* Gulf of Mexico, formerly Ship Island, Mississippi
* San Francisco, California
* Key West, Florida
* Sapelo Sound, South Atlantic