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IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
fever, small pox. The health ordinances of Dnbnqne are in general, 
similar to those of the other river towns. 
There is naturally much similarity in the charters of the towns with 
reference to the provisions for maintenance of public health, and also 
much similarity in the ordinances, especially in the river towns. Con- 
ditions were practically the same in these towns, wdth the same means 
of introduction of the dreaded cholera. The towns were not subject 
to the same degree of danger as the great sea ports ; yet it was more 
difficut to follow and locate the disease if it once escaped from ciuaran- 
tine or evaded it at New Orleans, than it was to locate it on any infected 
vessel that might apply for entry at that port. Once escaping from 
the southern city, it would radiate along the A^arious routes of traffic 
and travel, the principal line of traffic being the Mississippi river. Care- 
ful watch for the disease was kept along the Avay, not primarily with the 
object of curing it, but rather to prevent it from landing and to send it 
on in whatsoeA^er direction it might go. Once landed, then, common 
humanity called for the isolation and care of the patients, as during the 
epidemic at St. Louis in 1848 and 1850, when many fled from the city 
and numbers of the sick were put ashore at ditferent places, abandoned 
to death and to the humanity of strangers. Some old citizens of Ft. 
kladison can recall the horror of those days Avhen such unfortunates 
were left near that city. And they revere the memory of heroic and 
self sacrificing Amlunteer nurses. 
The problem of maintaining the public health in the early day of 
the rwer toAvns Avas quite different from the problem in the later times, 
and different from the same problem in the towns back from the river. 
At the present time the principal value of the old rules and regulations 
in the various cities Avith reference to cholera, ship fever and yellow 
fever lies in their historic interest. 
Quite early in the history of loAva a little attention was giA^en by 
legislators to the question of local boards of health and a suggestion Avas 
offered to the effect that there should be some general regulations con- 
cerning the requirements to be made of physicians. On the date Jan. 
6, 1844, ^^Mr. Teas gave notice that he Avould on some future day ask 
leave to introduce a bill to regulate the practise of physic, and to pre- 
scribe the qualifications of practising physicians.” 
In the act for the incorporation of cities and toAvns, going into effect 
July 4, 1858, the Seventh General Assembly made provision that, '‘The 
City Council shall have power to establish a Board of Health,” giAung 
it the necessary powers. In 1866, the legislature passed "An act con- 
