Researched and Written by
Dr. Fred Stamler

Henry Albert left Iowa City in 1921, and for the next nine years the Department was directed by a series of Acting Heads. Albert suffered from a chronic throat infection for some time. In early 1921 this progressed to paralysis of the left vocal cord. He was granted a leave of absence, and moved to southern California to seek a cure, with the goal of returning to Iowa by academic year 1922. His health did improve rapidly due either to the California climate or voice rest, but he resigned his University of Iowa position to remain in the West indefinitely. In 1922 he accepted appointment as director of the State Hygienic Laboratory and Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Nevada at Reno.

Henry Albert left Reno in 1926 to return to Iowa as Commissioner of Health, the head of a newly reorganized Iowa State Department of Health. In his acceptance statement published in the "Journal of the Iowa State Medical Society", December, 1926, he expressed his resolve to make the Department of Health a strong one dedicated to serve the State and medical profession of Iowa. He called attention to the fact that the per capita appropriation to the Department was only three cents, making Iowa next to the bottom of the 48 States. The average of all States was not very impressive: 10 1/4 cents per capita. Dr. Albert concluded his inaugural message by explaining the Department’s current project to eliminate diphtheria from the State with the use of toxin-antitoxin (TAT).

Henry Albert’s introductory message to the Iowa medical profession was followed by monthly reports in the state medical journal, often dealing with the leading infectious diseases of the times. These included influenza, measles, smallpox, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, syphilis, whooping cough, scarlet fever, and pneumonia’s of several types. It was an era of increasing knowledge and therapeutic resources in combating many of these diseases. At times, strong opposition arose against the acceptance of new public health measures or clinical therapies. This was especially true of smallpox vaccination and tuberculin testing of cattle. Henry Albert sustained a theme of sound medical knowledge and calm reason in his weekly "Health Bulletin" and monthly reports in the "Iowa State Medical Journal" over a four-year period. This service was brought to an abrupt and untimely end by his death from appendicitis on April 6, 1930, at the age of 52.

Henry Albert was eulogized by his mentor, colleague and longtime friend Walter Bierring who noted a long list of accomplishments as Commissioner of Health. He especially praised Albert’s "rare tact and understanding" in maintaining harmony and cooperation among all Public Health agencies in Iowa.