The earliest record of public health in Columbus dates back to 1833 (population 2700) when a committee of five citizens was appointed by the mayor to cope with an epidemic of Asiatic cholera.  The committee waged a difficult yet successful battle against the outbreak and was appointed by the mayor as a permanent body to become active whenever a health emergency arose.  Diptheria, pneumonia, and diarrhea were among the threats faced by the residents.  In 1900, these and other diseases caused the death of one of every six infants born in Columbus before the age of one.  In 1852, Ohio law authorized municipal governments to establish Boards of Health which then became the designation for the committee of five.  The first recorded meeting of a regular Board of Health, however, was on May 20, 1903.  By 1908, a health officer was designated and the role of the Board expanded beyond responding to outbreaks to include the adoption of regulations governing food products, facilities, and environmental nuisances.  The laboratory was expanded at that time and a vital statistics office established to record the occurrence of all local births and deaths.

  Through the first half of the century, leadership in the department changed frequently typically after the outbreak of a disease.  Stability of leadership and significant progress for the department were initiated in 1946 when Ollie M. Goodloe, M.D., M.P.H. was appointed Columbus Health Commissioner.    Under his leadership over 23 years, public health came alive in this community with a significant expansion of the department's services.  William E. Brown, M.D., M.P.H. succeeded Dr. Goodloe in 1969 and continued the tradition of strong leadership.  Upon his resignation 10 years later, the Board broke precedent with the past and appointed the city's first non-physician to lead the department   William C. Myers, M.S., Assistant Health Commissioner in charge of policy and planning with 15 years experience in public health, 10 of which were with the Department, was appointed Health Commissioner in 1980.  He served as Commissioner until his retirement in 2002 at which time the department's medical director, Dr. Teresa Long, was appointed the first female Health Commissioner for the City of Columbus.  Dr. Long continues in that role today.