Laboratory of Hygiene established at Staten Island

Background. The Marine Hospital Service originated from the 1798 Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen. By 1870, it became a centrally controlled bureau. In the late nineteenth century, its scope expanded beyond caring for merchant seamen to include infectious disease control and quarantine functions, setting the stage for scientific research initiatives.

Establishment of the Laboratory. In 1887, a laboratory for the study of bacteria, known as the Hygienic Laboratory, was established. This facility was initially located at the New York Marine Hospital on Staten Island. It served as the point of origin for components of the current Public Health Service, including the National Institutes of Health.

Legacy and Evolution. The Hygienic Laboratory was part of the Division of Scientific Research formed in 1901. This division eventually became the National Institutes of Health. The laboratory's establishment marked the beginning of the NIH's history, which later saw re-designations and expansions under various acts, including the Ransdell Act in 1930.