[The Board of Health and its activities during the cholera epidemic in Bergen in 1848-49]

In Norway temporary regulations were issued for control of cholera. An important provision was that Municipal Boards of Health should be appointed. The author describes the duties of the Board of Health, and how it functioned during the cholera epidemic in Bergen in 1848-49. The cholera broke out on 10 December 1848, and a Board of Health was appointed exactly one week later. The Board held frequent meetings and the minutes provide good information on the development of the epidemic and the activities of the Board. The fact that the Chief Medical Officer was not a member of the Board was in violation of the regulations. However, he usually attended the meetings and strongly influenced the decisions. It may have been considered an advantage that the Chief Medical Officer acted relatively freely, even if the overall responsibility lay with the Board. This led, however, to some doubt about responsibility, and concerning what were the official channels.