The article comments on the development of the public health movement in the Southeast. As the 19th century developed, however, the general social conditions gradually changed. Developments did, at any rate, occur in the U.S. at about this time. They are national in scope, and will serve to introduce the central theme of this chapter, namely: the creation of State boards of health in the Southeastern States and their activities up to and including the year 1905. These national occurrences which set the stage for developments in the Southeast consist of the following: a series of sanitary investigations of cities were made by representatives of the American Medical Association after its establishment in 1847. The move to make these investigations was prompted by the yellow fever and cholera epidemics. Secondly, the Massachusetts Legislature appointed a commission to make a sanitary survey of that State in 1849, undoubtedly being influenced by the cholera pandemic which was then prevailing. Massachusetts did not carry out the recommendation at the time, but the report was widely praised and bad considerable influence in stimulating support of the public health cause.