Richard Bayley
Richard Bayley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1745 |
| Died | August 17, 1801 (aged 55–56) |
| Cause of death | Yellow fever |
| Resting place | St. Andrew's Church (Staten Island, New York) 40°34′22.3″N 74°8′50.5″W / 40.572861°N 74.147361°W |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Known for | First NYC Health Officer |
| Term | c. 1796–1801 |
| Children | Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton |
| Relatives | James Roosevelt Bayley, grandson |
Richard Bayley (1745 – August 17, 1801) was a New York City physician and the first chief health officer of the city. An expert in yellow fever, he helped discover its epidemiology, improved city sanitation, and authored the federal Quarantine Act of 1799. The 1788 Doctors' Riot was sparked by fears that his students were secretly removing corpses from graves in order to dissect them.