NIH CC Liaison Office and NIH Social Subcommittee

220th US PHS Commemoration Day

Dear Public Health Servant Colleagues,

The U.S. Public Health Service traces its roots back to July 16, 1798, when Pres. John Adams signed into law the “Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen,” which led to the creation of a network of marine hospitals along the nation’s coastal and inland waterways, including the first marine hospital owned by the federal government at Washington Point in Virginia.

In 1870, administration of the marine hospitals was centralized under the Marine Hospital Service (MHS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., and led by the supervising surgeon (later called surgeon general). The following year, John Maynard Woodworth, the first supervising surgeon, adopted a military model for his medical staff, instituting examinations for applicants and implementing required uniforms for physicians.

An act of Congress established the Commissioned Corps of the MHS in 1889, and organized its officers along military lines with titles and pay corresponding to Army and Navy grades.

In 1902, the Marine Hospital Service expanded to the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service to reflect its growing responsibilities, including controlling epidemic disease through quarantine and disinfection measures, as well as immunization programs, and examination of arriving immigrants into the country such as those landing at Ellis Island in New York. In 1912, the name of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service was shortened to the Public Health Service

We invite you to join us in the US PHS Commemoration Day at Building 1 on the NIH main campus on 16 July 2018, and to share your esprit de corps and enthusiasm for the Commissioned Corps.

This celebration will feature cake cutting ceremony, keynote remark from the Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett P. Giroir, Commissioned Corps leadership and talks from our senior NIH and Commissioned Corps leadership and much more.

NIH is pleased to partner with the US PHS in our joint commitment to inspire corps officers and educate our colleagues about the importance of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service.