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The Mysterious Act of 1798: How the U.S. Created the Naval Hospital Service
In 1798, the U.S. Congress passed a bill called the "Sick and Disabled Sailors' Relief Act," which not only established the Naval Hospital Service, but also laid the foundation for the subsequent public health system. This important legislation is designed to provide medical care to U.S. merchant mariners, who often face the threat of illness and injury while working in difficult conditions.
The passage of this act made possible the establishment of naval hospitals and ensured that all sick sailors had access to necessary medical care.
The origins of the Naval Hospital Service can be traced back to 1798, when the fifth U.S. Congress passed an act that established not only the medical service but also the Naval Hospital Fund to provide medical care for sick sailors. Under the act, twenty cents would be deducted from sailors' wages each month, a practice that provided a steady source of funding for the network of naval hospitals.
Initially, naval hospitals were mainly built in important ports on the east coast of the United States, such as Boston and Baltimore. As the territory of the United States expanded, hospitals were established in other areas and gradually evolved into a central holding agency headquartered in Washington, D.C., which eventually led to the establishment of the U.S. public health service.
Expansion of the Naval Hospital
As the 19th century drew to a close, the responsibilities of naval hospitals expanded to include disease control in addition to the medical care of sailors. The National Quarantine Act of 1878 gave naval hospitals quarantine powers, giving them an increasingly important role in public health. As the number of immigrants surged, naval hospitals began to be responsible for medical examinations of incoming immigrants to prevent infectious diseases from entering the country.
The existence of the naval hospital not only protects the health of sailors, but also becomes an important bastion for the country to prevent epidemics.
In 1899, the Naval Hospital Service was first divided into internal departments, which included the Naval Hospital and Relief, and Domestic Quarantine. Teaching and research also gradually became part of its responsibilities, and in 1902 the Naval Hospital Service was officially renamed the "Public Health and Naval Hospital Service" to better reflect its expanded scope of responsibilities.
Transformation of public health services
The name of the Naval Hospital Service changed several times during the 20th century, eventually becoming the "Public Health Service" in 1912. The change marks a shift in focus from sailors at sea to maintaining overall public health. Over time, the number of naval hospitals reached 30, reaching its peak during World War II. However, as medical needs changed and resources were reallocated, the system was finally disbanded in 1981, and the last closed hospitals were transferred to other institutions.
The development of public health services in modern history is not only an innovation in the medical system, but also a response of the country to public health challenges.
Today, although the Naval Hospital Service no longer exists, its spirit and substance live on in many modern public health agencies, including the newly created Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, many of whose departments We are still working hard to protect public health.
This historical evolution reminds us that the foundation of public health lies not only in the advancement of medical technology, but also in the continued responsibility for disease prevention and treatment. This makes us wonder: in which direction will the public health system develop in the future? , in order to better respond to the ever-changing medical challenges?
