9 May 1902: "No Contagious Diseases."

On this day in 1902, among other tidbits of brief news covering everything from the weather to church picnics, the following item was included in the Athens Banner:

 

The city of Athens had a full-time Sanitary Inspector since at least 1890, far ahead of its time in the rest of the state. He earned $600 per year in 1890, the same as a "regular policeman" and the city attorney. Georgia did not establish a Board of Health with quarantine authority and the ability to enforce other public health laws until 1903. 

In Athens, the Sanitary Inspector in charge of enforcing regulations that were intended to control any communicable diseases (such as smallpox or tuberculosis), and tested and regulated the milk supply. The Sanitary Inspector also worked with the University of Georgia to provide bacteriological services to the county, such as testing the water supply for contaminants. 

In later years, child health became a focus of local health authorities, with much support from local organizations like the Athens Woman's Club, who focused on early childhood education, proper nutrition, and establishing Athens' first Farmer's Market to bring fresh food to a wider population.

Learn More:

• Athens Daily Banner, May 1902 - Oct. 1903 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Historic Newspaper Archive collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• History of Public Health in Georgia, 1733-1950 by T. F. Abercrombie in the Heritage collection.
• A Chapter of Child Health, 1924-1928 by the Commonwealth Fund in the Heritage collection.
• Memorabilia of the Athens Woman's Club: Its Projects and Interests by Marguerite B. Sheffer in the Heritage collection.
• The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood: Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Right Nutritional Track by William Sears in the general collection.
• The Healthy Household: A Complete Guide for Creating a Healthy Indoor Environment by Lynn Marie Bower in the general collection.
• Toxic Exposures: Contested Illnesses and the environmental  Health Movement by Phil Brown in the general collection.
• Is Our Food Safe? A Consumer's Guide to Protecting Your Health and the Environment by Warren Leon and Caroline Smith DeWaal in the general collection.
• The Infectious Disease Sourcebook by Karen Bellenir in the Reference collection.
• Pandemics and Global Health by Barry Youngerman in the general collection.
• Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine's Greatest Lifesaver by Arthur Allen in the general collection.
• Goldberger's War: The Life and Work of a Public Health Crusader by Alan M. Kraut in the biography collection.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
• Georgia Department of Community Health website.
• Northeast Georgia Health District website.
• Athens-Clarke County Board of Health website.