Almost from its beginnings, Detroit has always sought physicians to care for the health of its citizens. In 1829 and 1837, there were small-pox outbreaks. On February 21 1849 the Detroit Common Council passes an act calling for the election of a city physician each year. In May 1857 the number was increased from one to four. By ordinance of January 31, 1860, the city was divided into three districts and a physician with a salaryof $300 was appointed to each.
Sources:
Detroit Historical Society Facebook Page
Silas Farmer, The History of Detroit and Michigan: Or, The Metropolis …, Volume 1. Detroit, S. Farmer & co., 1884.
The MSU community has access to an online edition via the HathiTrust.