In a pioneer society, little attention is paid to the subject of public health. The portion of the Iowa criminal code adopted by the territorial legislature March 16, 1855, contained a brief chapter on offenses against public health, and another on nuisances and their abatement Very light penalties for the sale of diseased, unwholesome or adulterated food, drink, or, drugs, or of poisons without the prescribed labels, were fixed. A much more serious offense was thus described: "If any person inoculate himself or any other person, or suffer himself to be inoculated with the small-pox within this territory, or come within the territory with intent to cause the prevalence or spread of this disease, he shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary not more than three years, or by fine not exceeding $1,000 and imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year." Not quite so serious was the maintenance of certain types of nuisances which menaced public health.
     On March 2, 1855, an act to establish the Nebraska medical society was approved. This was the first crude effort at regulation of medical practice, for it provided that no physician would be allowed to practice medicine and surgery who was not a member of this society, and had its license to practice. The society was empowered to appoint an inspector of drugs and to bring sellers of adulterated drugs to justice.
     The first act looking to protection from contagious diseases referred to live stock and was approved June 20, 1867. From that time until 1901, the only contagious diseases that excited the interest of the legislature were those of domestic animals.
     The early special municipal incorporation acts almost uniformly conferred upon the city authorities power to make all necessary ordinances in relation to cleanliness and public health. The first general municipal incorporation act, approved February 15, 1864, made no specific mention of the subject of public health. The general municipal incorporation acts of February 8 and 15, 1869, provided definitely for the establishment of municipal boards of health with necessary powers. Cities of the second class were given specific power to "establish cemeteries or burial places contiguous to, but without the limits of the city, and to. provide for the sanctity of the dead" and to remove persons having infectious or pestilential disease outside of the city limits."
     Subsequent municipal legislation has always recognized the necessity of local health departments.
     A census and vital statistics law was passed by the legislature of 1869. County commissioners were required to cause the precinct assessors in the several counties to make an annual enumeration of

population and also a complete return of all births and deaths for the preceding year. 'These facts were to be transmitted to the secretary of state, and he was required to tabulate the statistics and have them printed in pamphlet form. This law was repealed by the legislature of 1885.
     A new criminal code enacted on February 27, 1873, contained a chapter on offenses against public health and safety. Its provisions related chiefly to the sale of deleterious food and drugs, the pollution of waters, and the cleanliness of distilleries.
     The second effort to regulate the practice of medicine is found in an act approved March 3, 1881. This act required persons who wished to practice medicine in the state to file statements of their qualifications with county clerks, who, upon presentation of the required evidence were to register the candidates' names. A person to be entitled to registration must have graduated from a legally chartered medical college having authority to rant the degree of doctor of medicine, or have attended a full course of lectures in such an institution and have practiced medicine continuously for three years, the last one of these years in Nebraska, or have been practicing medicine for a livelihood for ten years, the last two of them In this state. Persons convicted of practicing medicine without having complied with the provisions of this act were to be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars for each offense. Itinerant venders of medicines who claimed to cure diseases were considered much more serious offenders.
     An act approved March 24, 1887, made similar requirements for the practice of dentistry within the state.
     The act creating the state board of health was approved March 27, 1891. The board was composed of the governor, attorney general, and state superintendent whose chief duty was to appoint four medical secretaries to perform the duties of the board. These duties consisted in granting certificates to candidates for permission to practice medicine. Certificates were granted only to persons possessing diplomas from recognized medical colleges according to the rules prescribed by the board. At this same session a city of the metropolitan class was required to have a board of health of which the mayor should be chairman. The commissioner of health and city physician was given large powers.
     The legislature of 1895 conferred upon cities of the second class and villages definite powers and duties concerning public health, and placed the regulation of the practice of dentistry under the control of the board of health.
     The legislature of 1899 created a board of examiners for embalmers to be appointed by the state board of health; a board of examiners for barbers, and a food commission. An appropriation of $1,500 to be used by the state board of health in suppressing diseases was also made.

     The legislature of 1901 authorized county boards to make and enforce regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious diseases and to establish boards of health. This legislature also provided for the certification of osteopathic practitioners by the state board of health.
     An act of February 20, 1908, authorized the appointment of county boards of health whose jurisdiction should include the unincorporated parts of the several counties. Another important act passed by the same legislature enlarged the powers and duties of the state board of health and created the office of health inspector whose duty is to assist local authorities in enforcing the health laws. Still another act, approved April 3, 1903, required the state board of health to examine all applicants for certification as physicians-this in addition to the earlier requirement of a diploma.
     The Omaha charter act approved March 9, 1905, provided that a board of health should not be created except in case of a general epidemic. At this same session an act requiring applicants for license to practice osteopathy to pass examination given by the board of health, and another creating a board of dental secretaries to be appointed by the state board of health were approved. Another important act, approved February 16, 1905, provided for a system of vital statistics with the state board of health as state registrar, and various designated local authorities as local registrars. An act regulating maternity homes and boarding homes for infants was passed at this session, and the hospital for deformed, ruptured and crippled children now known as the orthopedic was established. A law providing for the examination, care and treatment of dipsomaniacs, inebriates and victims of the drug habit was also included in the works of this session.
     The legislature of 1907 enacted a complete pure food law as s substitute for existing laws, and a law regulating the practice of optometry and creating a board of examiners in optometry.
     The legislature of 1909 provided for the collection of marriage statistics by the state board of health, transferred from the board of health to the governor the power to appoint secretaries of this board, created a board of examiners in osteopathy to be. appointed by the governor, and a board of examiners of nurses to be appointed by the state board of health.
     The legislature of 1911 made it obligatory upon county and village boards, if no local board of health exists, to enforce the quarantine rules and regulations of the state board of health. A new act regulating maternity homes, requiring their licensing by the state board of health was also passed, and a state hospital for indent tuberculosis patients established.
     The legislature of 1918 authorized the state board of health to prohibit the use o common drinking cups, provided for the annual regis-

tration of dentists and established a bacteriological laboratory for the state board of health.

PRACTICE OF MEDICINE

     The foregoing laws are supplemented by many statutes concerning sanitation and abatement of nuisances, protection of water supply, drainage, the establishment of hospitals and other institutions for the care of sick or insane people.
     The state board of health was abolished and its functions transferred to the department of public welfare by the civil administrative code passed by the legislature of 1919. The same legislature passed a law providing for the physical examination of children in the public schools of the state.
     In 1920 Nebraska was added to the birth registration area of the United States.
     In 1928 the legislature accepted the provisions of the Sheppard-Toner act for the promotion of the welfare and hygiene of maternity and infancy.
     The legislature of 1927 passed a basic science act which requires that before a candidate for license to practice any of the healing arts can be admitted to an examination for such a license he must secure a certificate of ability from the basic science board.
     In 1927 the legislature passed the uniform licensure act which contained a division in which was re-written the practice act in medicine and surgery. This act provided for the annual renewal of all licenses, the renewal date in medicine and surgery being filed as October 1st of each year. The requiring of a renewal has enabled the bureau of examining boards of the department of public welfare, which ban charge of licensure, to keep its list corrected up to date.