Conn Doc H342
The Connecticut State Library contains s a collection of Public Health circular letters sent out between 1941 – 1984. A circular letter is typically a formal or official written document or communication that is addressed to a group of individuals.
(Current circular letters may be found on the Department of Public Health website).
Please note that over time Bureau titles may have changed. For example in the 1941 volume there is a Bureau of Occupational Diseases but in later years it became the Bureau of Industrial Hygiene.
In 1941 there were eleven bureaus within the Department of Health
- Administration
- Child Hygiene
- Laboratories
- Mental Hygiene
- Occupational Diseases
- Preventable Diseases
- Public Health Instruction and Nutrition
- Public Health Nursing
- Sanitary Engineering
- Venereal Diseases
- Vital Statistics
Some of these bureaus also had Divisions. The volume for 1941 includes two content listing indices. The first index pages are listed by Department of Public Health circular number. This includes columns for Letter Number, Bureau, and Reference page.
Example: [Letter #] 43
[Bureau] Administration (Hairdressing)
[Reference Page ] 1-C
The second index pages are arranged by Bureaus. Columns on these pages include Addressee, Letter Number, and File Number. For example on the Administration (Hairdressing) reference page 1-C you would find:
Example: TO: School Owners re: changes in rules and regulations prescribed for schools for instruction in hairdressing
[ Letter No. ] 6 (The number 6 indicates a letter number assigned for use within the “Hairdressing” section)
[ File No.] 43 (The File number 43 is the original Circular number)
In addition the 1941 volume is divided into chapters including: Camps, Laboratories, Well Child conferences, etc. The reference pages will indicate the letter’s chapter or section. Such as Hairdressing for Letter #43.
This appears to be the pattern for the other volumes as well.
Visit the State Agency Profiles page for Connecticut Department of Public Health statutory authority, agency history, published history and articles, agency documents and list of commissioners.
Health Circulars can be filtered at the top of each column