The St. Louis Public Health laboratory (St. Louis Health Division Laboratory or Bacteriological Laboratory) is a municipal public health laboratory established in April 1921 by the passage of a city ordinance. The lab performs clinical tests to detect diseases. Prior to 1921, lab work was conducted by the laboratory service of City Hospital. From 1921 to at least 1946?, it occupied the basement and sub-basement of the St. Louis Municipal Courts building at 13th and Market. Joseph C. Willett, its founding director and chief bacteriologist, was a veterinarian by training. The Bacteriological laboratory was started on funds from the St. Louis chapter of the American Red Cross headed by Bordon Veeder. It was one of the first municipal health laboratories. In 1934 the Bacteriological Laboratory and the City Chemist's Office were united into the Laboratory Section of the Health Division which became the St. Louis Public Health laboratory. As stated in the 1934 manual, the laboratory consisted of six divisions: bacteriology, serology, sanitary analysis, chemistry, media (including sterilization of glassware and preparation of laboratory outfits), and special investigation.
Willett was on the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine beginning in 1933 as lecturer in public health, (1933-1946) and instructor in public health (1947-1952). Sources: Clippings: 1) "St. Louis Health Laboratories: Twenty-five happy years," Star-Times, 5-3-46 and 2) "Dr. Willett recalls a quarter century in the war with disease," by Robert Schulman, Star-Times, ca. 5-3-46 3) Preface to laboratory manual 1934 IN St. Louis Department of Public Welfare records (PC096): Laboratory of the Laboratory Section, Division of Health, Department of Public Welfare, City of St. Louis, J. C. Willett, director; Washington University Medical Alumni Quarterly 11 (no. 1): 34 (October 1947); Washington University School of Medicine catalogs, 1933; St. Louis Public Health Laboratory, History of the Missouri Branch, American Society for Microbiology, 2002, viewed and printed for FP005 June 12, 2008, p. 13-14 http://www.asm.org/branch/brmo/History.htm.
From the description of Laboratory Manual of the Laboratory of the Laboratory Section, Division of Health, Department of Public Welfare, City of St. Louis, J.C. Willett, director, 1934. 1934. (Washington University in St. Louis). WorldCat record id: 231769117
