Health, along with Happiness, is one of the primary stats and indicator as to whether your city is thriving. A low health value can lead to unhappiness, which can lead to reduced work flows, and finally a stagnancy and total shut down of essential services. Conversely, exceptional health reduces the stamina drain on individuals, encouraging them to work and produce more materials.
Improving Health[edit]
Health can be improved by constructing a Bathhouse and constructing a Soap workshop. Soap workshops turn fat, blubber, and beeswax into usable soap which can be stored in houses.
Early in the game, before soap becomes available, the chief method of maintaining health will be to use Herbs. Herbs are normally gathered from forests, but can be grown in a Nursery. In the Research tab, several players spend their first few points on the Apiary, Grove, Nursery, and finally Herb Knowledge. Herb Knowledge is particularly valuable as it grants your citizens the ability to find Herb Seeds - which can then be grown in the Nursery. Once herbs are grown in the Nursery, harvesting from forests becomes far less of an issue.
Combating Illness[edit]
Poor health is most effectively combatted by maintaining a healthy supply of herbs and soap. A clinic, likewise, is an excellent investment, especially early on.
The clinic can be upgraded to the hospital, which allows for additional tools against other types of illnesses as well. Cholera (water) and Measles (skin) can be dealt with from the hospital, but Tuberculosis (salia) and the Flu (airbourne) must be treated at the hospital, and do not have separate research items like cholera and measles.