New York State Department of Health Division of Communicable Diseases Reports of Contagious Diseases from Local Boards of Health

Chronological by year, then alphabetical by county and therein by city, town, or village.

These records contain monthly totals of communicable disease cases reported to the state Department of Health in accordance with the Department Commissioner's mandate to "obtain, collect and preserve such information relating to mortality, disease and health as may be useful..."

The aggregate statistics are recorded in bound volumes, in manuscript on pre-printed sheets, and are often annotated with the total number of cases for each reported disease. After 1914, the department collected this information as individual case report cards. All volumes except the first (1907) also include a table of statistics compiled for "Greater New York" and the "State Outside of Greater New York." Cases of diseases reported at state institutions (hospitals, asylums, reformatories, prisons, special schools) are listed separately for the years 1910, 1913, and 1914 only.

Diseases are represented by letter codes in headings across the volume pages (by month), with numbers of cases for each respective disease listed in columns below. The list of reportable diseases varies according to reporting year. From 1907-1910 (volumes 1-4) the bound volumes contain monthly totals for the following diseases: cerebrospinal meningitis; cholera; diphtheria; measles; ophthalmia neonatorum (infantile conjunctivitis); scarlet fever (scarlatina); smallpox; and typhoid fever. In 1911 and 1912 (volumes 5 and 6) statistics for the following diseases were added: cancer; pneumonia; poliomyelitis; tuberculosis; and whooping cough. In 1913 (volume 7) statistics for the following diseases were added: anthrax; gonorrhea; pellagra; rabies; tetanus; and tick fever. In 1914 (volume 8) statistics for the following diseases were added: chicken pox; German measles; mumps; and septic sore throat. Also in volume 8, the final list of all reportable diseases, broken down as to New York City cases and Upstate New York cases (and then total state cases), includes statistics for the following additional diseases; dysentery; glanders; paratyphoid; plague (no cases); puerperal septicaemia; trachoma; and typhus fever.

B0290-00: This accretion contains information in format similar to the rest of the series for the years 1935-1936.

Microfilm for the years 1907-1914 is available for use at the New York State Archives or through interlibrary loan.

Volume list is available at the repository.

List explaining some coded abbreviations for diseases.

Volume 4, for the year 1910, was filmed twice on the single roll of microfilm of this series from DOH.

B0290-00: No microfilm exists for 1935-1936.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.