Guide to the Providence Board of Health records , 1857-1977
Rhode Island State Archives
Rhode Island State Archives
337 Westminster Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-222-2353
Fax: 401-222-3199
email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov
Published in 2009
Collection Overview
| Title: | Providence Board of Health records |
| Date range: | 1857-1977 |
| Creator: | Providence (R.I.). Board of Health |
| Extent: | .35 cubic feet |
| Abstract: | Black and white photographs documenting disease and living conditions in Providence during the early 1900's as well as activities of the City of Providence Health Department. The collection also includes annual reports, and examples of actual signs used to warn of the existence of scarlet fever or diphtheria. |
| Language of materials: | English |
| Repository: | Rhode Island State Archives |
| Collection number: | C#95-197 |
Scope & content
This collection contains primarily photographs that document the activities of the Providence Board of Health from circa 1900 until 1977 as well as the living conditions of the population of Providence during the early years of the 20th century. The photographs include those taken by Dr. Charles V. Chapin documenting the living conditions in a Providence neighborhood circa 1900 and those taken by the Providence Housing Authority documenting the Well Baby Clinic conducted at Hartford Park in 1959. The collection also contains the first annual report completed by the Superintendent of Health (year ending July 1, 1857) as well as annual reports for the years 1961, 1963 and 1964. There are also original warning signs used to warn of the presence of diphtheria or scarlet fever in a building. The collection also includes a program from the award dinner held in 1977 for Joseph E. Cannon M.D.Access Points
Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics- Smallpox--Rhode Island--Providence.
- Poliomyelitis--Patients--Treatment.
- Scarlatina.
- Diphtheria
- Providence (R.I.)--Economic conditions--20th century.
- Providence (R.I.)--History.
Arrangement
Items are arranged chronologically within each folder. Items are arranged into the following series:
- Series 1. Photographs, circa 1900-1963
- Series 2. Annual Reports, 1857-1964
- Series 3. Ephemera
Historical note
In 1854, Dr. Edwin Snow pioneered efforts to document and analyze a wave of cholera which attacked the citizens of Providence. Tracking the disease among his own patients, he devoted himself to tracing its source and preventing its recurrence. Snow became the first Superintendent in 1856 when Providence established a permanent city health department. Twenty-two years later, a State Board of Health was formed with three mandates: preventing the spread of disease, collecting vital statistics, and implementing a sanitation program.In 1883, Dr. Charles Value Chapin became Providence's Superintendent of Health. Dr. Chapin continued Dr. Snow's efforts, improving sanitation, advocating city sewer construction, establishing quarantine regulations, and identifying the source of a cholera outbreak in 1888. Dr. Chapin instituted mandatory reporting of contagious disease cases such as scarlet fever and diphtheria. He was a leader in discouraging fumigation of houses as a disease prevention measure and established the nation's first contagious disease hospital, the Providence City Hospital, in 1910.
Access & Use
| Access to the collection: | No special restrictions unless otherwise specified. |
| Use of the materials: | Copyright is in the public domain unless otherwise specified. We reserve the right to restrict reproduction of materials due to preservation concerns. |
| Preferred citation: | Providence Board of Health records, C#95-197, Rhode Island State Archives. |
| Contact information: | Rhode Island State Archives Rhode Island State Archives 337 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 Tel: 401-222-2353 Fax: 401-222-3199 email: statearchives@sos.ri.gov |
Administrative Information
| ABOUT THE COLLECTION | |
| ABOUT THE FINDING AID | |
| Author: | Finding aid prepared by Kate Telford. |
| Encoding: | Finding aid encoded by Kate Telford 2009 February 05 |
| Descriptive rules: | Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS) |
Additional Information
| Related material: | Typhoid Fever cases - Map of Providence (1878) 1882-1883Typhoid Fever Cases in military camps during the Spanish American War (1904)Rhode Island Department of Health Library records. Collection number 2006-27 |
| Bibliography: |
Inventory
Series 1. Photographs
| Container | Description | Date |
| Box 1, Folder 1 | Small Pox Outbreaks Contents Note: Photo album of 2 x 3 and 6 x 8 photographs of specific small pox cases. |
circa 1900 |
| Box 1, Folder 2 | Living Conditions in Providence Contents Note: Contains seven 4 x 5 photographs taken by Dr. Charles V. Chapin documenting living conditions in a Providence neighborhood. Some street names correspond with those in the Federal Hill neighborhood. |
circa 1900 |
| Box 1, Folder 3 | Small Pox Outbreaks Contents Note: Photo album of specific small pox cases from December 1912 - January 1913. Contains 20 un-retouched 3 x 3 1/2 photographs. |
1912-1913 |
| Box 1, Folder 4 | Living Conditions in Providence Contents Note: Documentation of living conditions in Providence. Includes 8 photographs of various sizes and one unmarked photograph taken April 1, 1898. |
1898-1912 |
| Box 1, Folder 5 | Unsanitary Conditions in Providence Contents Note: Contains twenty-six 4 x 5 photographs. |
circa 1913 |
| Box 1, Folder 6 | Immunization Contents Note: Contains one 8 x 10 photograph. |
circa 1920 |
| Box 1, Folder 7 | Nursing Activities Contents Note: Contains eleven 5 x 7 photographs plus negatives. |
1939 |
| Box 1, Folder 8 | Well Baby Clinic Contents Note: Contains four 8 x 10 photographs courtesy of the Providence Housing Authority documenting the Well Baby Clinic at Hartford Park, Providence. |
1959 March 10 |
| Box 1, Folder 9 | Polio Clinic (Dr. Sarah Smith) Contents Note: Contains five 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 10 | Part of a Thorough Physical Exam Contents Note: Contains eight 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 11 | Nickerson House Clinic (Dr. Shatkin) Contents Note: Contains three 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 12 | Day Nursery Contents Note: Contains four 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 13 | Chapin-Pulmonary Clinic Contents Note: Contains nine 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 14 | Health Team Contents Note: Contains four 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 15 | Health Class Contents Note: Contains three 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 16 | Dr. Dolan Contents Note: Contains three 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 17 | X-Ray Clinic Contents Note: Contains twelve 8 x 10 photographs. |
1962 |
| Box 1, Folder 18 | Health Department Staff Photographs Contents Note: Contains twelve 8 x 10 photographs. |
1958-1963 |
| Box 1, Folder 24 | Unsanitary Conditions in Providence Contents Note: Contains five 4 x 5 cyanotypes and one 5 x 8 cyanotype. |
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 25 | Portrait of Dr. Charles V. Chapin Contents Note: Contains one 8 x 10 photograph. |
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 26 | Portrait of Dr. J. M. Peters Contents Note: Contains one 4 x 5 photograph. |
undated |
| Box 1, Folder 27 | Chapin Hospital, Providence Contents Note: Contains twelve 4 x 5 photographs. |
undated |
Series 2. Annual Reports
| Container | Description | Date |
| Box 1, Folder 1 | Annual Report for the Health Department of the City of Providence Contents Note: Includes two copies of the First Annual Report of the Superintendent of Health of the City of Providence (year ending July 1, 1857 |
1857 |
| Box 1, Folder 19 | Annual Report for the Health Department of the City of Providence |
1961 |
| Box 1, Folder 20 | Annual Report for the Health Department of the City of Providence |
1963 |
| Box 1, Folder 21 | Annual Report for the Health Department of the City of Providence |
1964 |
Series 3. Ephemera
| Container | Description | Date |
| Box 1, Folder 22 | Award Dinner Program for Joseph E. Cannon M.D. |
1977 October 28 |
| Box 1, Folder 23 | Warning Signs for Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria |
undated |