[1] It was enacted in response to two incidents involving the deaths of 22 children who had contracted tetanus from contaminated vaccines.
Investigations found that the St. Louis Board of Health produced the contaminated anti-toxin using the blood of a horse infected with tetanus.
This board was given the power to issue, suspend, and revoke licenses to produce and sell biological products.
It was moved to Washington, D.C., in 1891, and renamed the Hygienic Laboratory of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service in 1902.
[2] The Hygienic Laboratory was responsible for renewing licenses annually, testing products, and performing inspections.