[The introduction of the Public Health Act of 1860]

The Public Health Act of 1860 introduced modern health legislation in Norway. The act was a consequence of the industrial revolution and was influenced by the European hygienic movement and the English Public Health Act of 1848. The act placed the responsibility for public health measures on the local authorities in accordance with contemporary political philosophy. The local board of health was chaired by the officer of health and made up by politically elected members. This system implied co-operation between professional and political interests in order to improve disease prevention and enforce public health measures. The part of the act that provided for local boards of health was in force until 1982; the chapter on communicable diseases was repealed in 1995. The fact that this legislation remained in force for so long may serve as an indication of the usefulness and flexibility of the act. Its main drawbacks were an insufficient financial basis and lack of the authority to introduce relevant sanctions.