Public Health - Seattle & King County
Encyclopedia
Public Health - Seattle & King County (PHSKC) is the Public Health department that is jointly managed by the City of Seattle
and King County
governments serving approximately 1.8 million residents in King County, Washington State. Some of its services include King County Medic One
, trans fat
and menu labeling regulation, online restaurant inspections, emergency preparedness, family planning
and reproductive health
services, and creating healthy recipes online.
The Seattle City Council created the position of city Health Officer in 1877. The Health Officer had the responsibility to abate nuisances affecting the public health and to prevent the spread of contagious disease, especially smallpox
. Between 1877 and 1890, ten different local doctors served in the role. In 1890, the city established a Department of Sanitation, under the direction of the Board of Health, which also authority to appoint a Health Officer. It was badly needed. That year "[t]here were so many cases of typhoid fever that the health officer could not investigate them all" and "hogs with cholera were being sold for human consumption." From 1891, there was also a Market Inspector, under the supervision of the Health Officer. An amended City Charter in 1908 replaced the Board of Health with a new Department of Health, with a Commissioner of Health appointed by the Mayor. At that time, problems were still quite severe: a federal government expert wrote, "Seldom have I seen worse conditions among dairies than in those here."
In 1915, Seattle could claim that its death rate of 7.44 per thousand was the lowest of any city of its size in the world. Still, in 1916 there were numerous cases of poisoning from bad chickens and fish. In that era, the department focused in large measure on quarantine
for infectious diseases and had a special division to deal with tuberculosis
, including a special tuberculosis hospital, Firland Tuberculosis Hospital. Health inspections were required for all people engaged in food preparation, as were general physicals for drivers of vehicles for hire. A child welfare division was empowered to inspect any home where children were being raised, and also could provide poor families with free milk. There was also a focus on preventing bubonic plague
from entering through the city's port. The city also operated several free medical services, including a small emergency hospital for the indigent and free typhoid shots for anyone travelling out of the city to a region where typhoid might be encountered.
Another key function was safety of the food supply: at this date, the federal government had no involvemnt in the safety of the food supply, except insofar as goods were shipped across state lines. The city health department not only engaged in restaurant and market inspections (which by this time included Pike Place Market
, established 1907), but also oversaw the health of the city's farm animals, especially milk cows, but also chickens and horses. In 1915, the department ordered 88594 pounds (40.2 km) of meat destroyed as unfit for human consumption. Dairy rankings were published in the daily paper to encourage competition in keeping standards high.
From 1912, garbage collection became a city function, initially utilizing a mix of landfill burial, incineration, and dumping from scow
s.
The Seattle Department of Health continued in this form until 1951, when it merged with the King County Department of Health. Until 1981, the City of Seattle administered the department; the city and the rest of the county each provided funding proportionate to their populations. Since 1981, the department is under county administration; the City retains direct policy and funding control over the Seattle Services Division.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
governments serving approximately 1.8 million residents in King County, Washington State. Some of its services include King County Medic One
Medic One
The Seattle & King County Emergency Medical Services System is a fire-based two-tier response system providing prehospital basic and advanced life support services....
, trans fat
Trans fat
Trans fat is the common name for unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid. Because the term refers to the configuration of a double carbon-carbon bond, trans fats are sometimes monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, but never saturated....
and menu labeling regulation, online restaurant inspections, emergency preparedness, family planning
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
and reproductive health
Reproductive health
Within the framework of the World Health Organization's definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health, or sexual health/hygiene, addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system...
services, and creating healthy recipes online.
History of the Department
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
. Between 1877 and 1890, ten different local doctors served in the role. In 1890, the city established a Department of Sanitation, under the direction of the Board of Health, which also authority to appoint a Health Officer. It was badly needed. That year "[t]here were so many cases of typhoid fever that the health officer could not investigate them all" and "hogs with cholera were being sold for human consumption." From 1891, there was also a Market Inspector, under the supervision of the Health Officer. An amended City Charter in 1908 replaced the Board of Health with a new Department of Health, with a Commissioner of Health appointed by the Mayor. At that time, problems were still quite severe: a federal government expert wrote, "Seldom have I seen worse conditions among dairies than in those here."
In 1915, Seattle could claim that its death rate of 7.44 per thousand was the lowest of any city of its size in the world. Still, in 1916 there were numerous cases of poisoning from bad chickens and fish. In that era, the department focused in large measure on quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
for infectious diseases and had a special division to deal with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, including a special tuberculosis hospital, Firland Tuberculosis Hospital. Health inspections were required for all people engaged in food preparation, as were general physicals for drivers of vehicles for hire. A child welfare division was empowered to inspect any home where children were being raised, and also could provide poor families with free milk. There was also a focus on preventing bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
from entering through the city's port. The city also operated several free medical services, including a small emergency hospital for the indigent and free typhoid shots for anyone travelling out of the city to a region where typhoid might be encountered.
Another key function was safety of the food supply: at this date, the federal government had no involvemnt in the safety of the food supply, except insofar as goods were shipped across state lines. The city health department not only engaged in restaurant and market inspections (which by this time included Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is a public market overlooking the Elliott Bay waterfront in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Market opened August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continually operated public farmers' markets in the United States. It is a place of business for many small farmers,...
, established 1907), but also oversaw the health of the city's farm animals, especially milk cows, but also chickens and horses. In 1915, the department ordered 88594 pounds (40.2 km) of meat destroyed as unfit for human consumption. Dairy rankings were published in the daily paper to encourage competition in keeping standards high.
From 1912, garbage collection became a city function, initially utilizing a mix of landfill burial, incineration, and dumping from scow
Scow
A scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight; cf. barge. The etymology of the word is from the Dutch schouwe, meaning such a boat.-Sailing scows:...
s.
The Seattle Department of Health continued in this form until 1951, when it merged with the King County Department of Health. Until 1981, the City of Seattle administered the department; the city and the rest of the county each provided funding proportionate to their populations. Since 1981, the department is under county administration; the City retains direct policy and funding control over the Seattle Services Division.