Established by the Medical Charities Act 1851 as subdivisions of each Poor Law Union in the country, dispensary districts initially were responsible for public health matters through the appointment of medical officers, the establishment of dispensaries, and the provision of public health programmes such as vaccination. With the inception of civil registration of births, marriages and deaths in 1864, dispensary districts became registration districts, with the medical officer usually appointed registrar and responsible for making quarterly returns to the General Register Office, Dublin. Kilmore Dispensary District was situated within Monaghan Poor Law Union.