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US Public Health Service forms, and US Marine Hospital is authorized

The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's...

The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions. The assistant secretary for health oversees the PHS. The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the PHS, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.

PHS had its origins in the system of marine hospitals that originated in 1798. In 1871, these were consolidated into the Marine Hospital Service, and shortly afterwards the position of Surgeon General and the PHSCC were established. As the system's scope grew to include quarantine authority and research, it was renamed the Public Health Service in 1912.

Historical Significance

The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions.

Events Before

  1. Albany replaces New York City as the capital of New York

    Albany ( AWL-bə-nee) is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York. It is also the county seat of, and the most populous city in, Albany County.

  2. Battle of Cape St. Vincent: British fleet under Admiral Sir John Jervis defeats larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don J

    Battle of Cape St. Vincent: British fleet under Admiral Sir John Jervis defeats larger Spanish fleet under Admiral Don José de Córdoba y Ramos near Cape St. Vincent, Portugal. Captain Horatio Nelson distinguishes himself.

  3. The Last Invasion of Britain, launched by the French during the Revolutionary Wars, begins near Fishguard, Wales

    The French Revolutionary Wars (French: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802.

  4. Bank of England issues first £1 note

    The Bank of England, which is now the central bank of the United Kingdom, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, has issued banknotes since 1694.

  5. Writer Mary Wollstonecraft marries philosopher and journalist William Godwin

    Mary Wollstonecraft (also UK: ; 27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) was an English writer and philosopher best known for her advocacy of women's rights.

Events After

  1. Politician Henry Clay (21) weds Lucretia Hart in Lexington, Kentucky

    Politician Henry Clay (21) weds Lucretia Hart in Lexington, Kentucky

  2. Fur trader and explorer David Thompson (29) marries Metis woman Charlotte Small (13) at Île-à-la-Crosse

    Fur trader and explorer David Thompson (29) marries Metis woman Charlotte Small (13) at Île-à-la-Crosse

  3. The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon

    The Rosetta Stone is found in the Egyptian village of Rosetta by French Captain Pierre-François Bouchard during Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign

  4. Napoleon Bonaparte pulls off a coup and becomes the dictator of France under the title of First Consul

    Napoleon Bonaparte pulls off a coup and becomes the dictator of France under the title of First Consul

  5. The metric system is first adopted in France

    The metric system is a system of measurement that standardises a set of base units and a nomenclature for describing relatively large and small quantities using decimal-based multiplicative unit...

More from the 1790s

Albany replaces New York City as the capital of New York

Albany ( AWL-bə-nee) is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York. It is also the county seat of, and the most populous city in, Albany County.

Russia appoints first Jewish censor to censor Hebrew books

Russia appoints first Jewish censor to censor Hebrew books

First US President George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address

The 1790 State of the Union Address was the inaugural State of the Union address, delivered by President George Washington to the United States Congress on January 8, 1790, at the Senate Chamber of…

French King Louis XVI sentenced to death by the National Convention during the French Revolution

Louis XVI was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 16, 1798?
The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions. The assistant secretary for health oversees the PHS. The Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the PHS, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States.
Why is US Public Health Service forms, and US Marine Hospital is authorized significant?
The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services which manages public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions.

Explore More

July 16 in HistoryYear 1798