The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-05
/
new HOME FOR
BOARD Of HEALTH
State Organization and
Laboratory of Hygiene
Under, One Roof
BOARD MONUMENT
OF DIR. HENRY HOLTON.
Fought for Years to Get State Board of
Health-New Headquarters Great
Improvement Over Those of Early
Days in DR.. Holton' S Home.


its present home at ISL Church street,
Burlington, soon and move into the house,
at , Colchester avenue just east Of the
College of Medicine and now owned by
the University of Vermont
Alterations ON the house have been be-
gun and as soon as they are completed
the board will move in The inside OF the
mouse will be completely renovated. When
finished, the first floor will contain the
business office, the private office OF the
secretary. three small offices for use OF
the different departments and large
library and meeting room. Upstairs viii
oe the business office, the office Of the
director. laboratories for water analysis. !
meteorological and pathological work,
medieo-legal work, the. food and drug
laboratory and the sociological laboratory.
in the rear OF the house. which is now a
shed. viii oe a shipping room and vet-
Urinary laboratory, and behind this will
lie morgue for autopsy work.
In order to fit the House for use as
laboratory, it will be necessary to put
in new walls, new floors, Il complete new
leating system, new system Of electric
| lighting, which will be indirect through
cut the house, sufficient plumbing for lab
oratory purposes and general repairs.
The Vermont State Board of Health is
rather an old institution II was sr3an-
zcd in 1885, after II years of persistent
york with the legislature Or Henry
| D Holton of Brattleboro was the original
promoter OF the cause, and stories are
still told at Montpelier Of how Er. 1ol-
on would appear at each session OF the
| general assembly to argue the need Of
state board of health only to be disap-
| pointed at the end OF the session As
| each bil MAS killed, he would remark,
All right. gentlemen. that makes me a
member of the third house for the next
| session. and he would appear as usual.
| In this work he was assisted by Dr. l..
~ Butler and Dir Sumner Putnam.
Finally in 1886, when the act establish
/ ng stats board Of health became law.
| he governor appointed DR. C. l.. Allen
| II Rutland, DR.. 4. s Chesmore Of Hunt
lgton and DH. J. II Hamilton of Rich
ord as members, DIR Allen being secre-
tary to the board in 1890 and Dr. Holton
| n 1891. In the meantime, DR.. j. II.
/ Hamilton had taken on the duties Of sec
| etary, which office he continued to hold
until December, 1900. when Dr. Holton
vas elected as secretary and executive
,tliccr Of tie board During all tlis time
he state board had no established head
quarters. DR. Hamilton conducted the
uties of secretary in his own office and
| when DR.. Holton became secretary he es-
ablished the offices OF the board in a
mall ell part in his house in Brattleboro.
1t was not until DR. Charles f. Dalton
became secretary and executive officer Of
the board in 1912 That the entire organi-
alton was brought together at Burling-
on and established i'll adequate quarters.
The laboratory of hygiene was estab-
ishcd as a department Of the state board
) health by an act of the legislature i'll
sos. DR. j. II I4insley lad previously
conducted a small laboratory for chemj-
cal and meteorological examinations but
ound that he could not do the work
which the board desired \ campaign
vas, therefore, carried on to arouse the
interest Of Vermont citizens to the neces-
'itt for laboratory in connection with
he state board Of health Dr. Ljnsley
made a thorough canvas OF practically
he whole state, during Mnieh time he
used the first automobile ever brought in
1 l. ~ lttt #HtdIt al l.. VI Lit ltLllt ltG NdS
[ accompanied by DR. Caverly and THEN
| experiences with the new automobile
were both amusing and exasperating Tie
e,I object of the trip, however, was aceomp
III hshed and the legislature passed the act
a Dr. Linsley was appointed director anl
luatters were secured in the Hayward
lock ON Main street
The laboratory was successful from til
| aud f5sa aJ1
gave been made to It's work SO that nov
{ it is one Of the important institution
l'of the state. DR.. NJ j Wiltse bccam
4 ! director on the death of DR. Lnsey il
! 1901 ard in 1904 he was succeeded by DR.
n 9. H. Stone. the present director Wit
The exception of a small state lahorator
in Rhode Island, Vermont was the frs
state in the Union to establish an organ
zation Of this kind,
The divided work of the state hoard G
; 'ealth by. reason Of the secretary's efiic
: being in Brattlebofo and the laborator
n Burlington became more and more of
Ii problem as the work OF the board il
If 'reased A change III the location OF til
a laboratory became necessary III 1908 an
le he temporary postoflee building whie
81 had been acquired bsTsthe Strong Hare
ware Co, was secured aud refitted 10
le The purpose Of laboratory work DR. Da
n ton became secretary. of the board in lal
il md Immediately fitted upsofices in til
N same building, thus bringing the entiI
organization together Since that tim,
II he work of the state aard Of health ha
u, grown rapidly and re been passe
o1 by the present leg.siatsrc. which vi
IS, greatly increase the aeepe. Of The worl
B. At present the board is c9aaDa 4 .of d
+. Thomas Kidder Of W6odstoch DR. VI
I. Slayton OF AIorrisyille and Dr. e. |
tn Dalton of Burlington.
III To have the laboratory OF the stat
Ut hoard of health SO near to tho college
medicine will be Of mutual benefit /
cA Goth institutions, hut especially to Ii
e eallege. Tor Tic 1nelieal stndnnt. VII !