775 

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAE 

AUSTIN 

ROE. coo. t. CCQ 

st8t0 maith or&r, 

Au&in, Tam. 

D-r sir: 

unlq uo 8pro lm dhumn 

18 tll* subjoo$ or propin this Stat*. 

Yaa h a 70 r 0~uea t.d us to & Tir e p u o o a oor a lng 

the jurlrulotl~ 0r the stbte Boor& 0r Emalth ln ro8poC 
Hon. Coo. ‘(1. Cox, Pago 8 

to tho jmbllr ahiibition oi the iaxaaenrb 8~47 of what 

la knzua a8 the “mwslilo~ turt:. babp and al& tha 

proper autharitle8 to nhiah the mattor should be reraxrod 

ln the l baonoa af oortrol ia m bepartwnt. 

m r60t8, 68 008 rmh in 7~ lettrr, 6m 

~nuaual, an4 the queatlon rai684 Is 0r rir8t ingraraloa 

ln thl8 rtatm insorar 66 w har6 b66n able tcP aaoor%6h. 

18 1026 a oblld with 8bmmul rkin we8 barn to 

Tha $ztcaaq waa than loaned tar exhibition 

puryoaa8 ta an lndlrldual rko ha8 now arkma tlm Tax68 

Stat0 Boor4 Or m6lth iOr iII~O~tfC$B OO~~00rUine th6 proct.3rir.g 0r I i~~lt ror *an l duoatlona& l zhibLt* 0r tan 

husaa 8yoainm. 

mix qtuatlou are worded 68 r0ib88 

l l l a, tho qus8tion 6riao8 88 to whether 

vo ham authority to zorbld the l xhlbltlan OS 

thi8 8~IO0tiB, *. * ? 

q. VOUld 6~B&iOt6, in th0 8sOOld BlbCO, 

youx o~lnlan a6 to *her6 suph aatterr 8boula 

It 1~ probable th6f w me oontronted bore with 

an artrwrio 0688 oi lohth7o618 or il8h-#kin dir6668 nt birth. 

soa *Dlaea6es 0r th8 skin* by Stelw6gun, p. 3311 *ma 

'Alll@ol 307' -'A C866 of Xohtbyoair- by 0. 11. fez, 

Jar. Cutan, Di8. 1084 p. 99; a04 w10 Wan r;ah* 0r 

Tenneano* by Ym~611; tauforilb Lkd. X6w8, 28W, p. MS. 

At thm adset u. riah to goint ait that tharo is 

nsltlwr oaaa mx statutory 16V ccrlatlw to 6 p68urV6& 

iohthyosi8 spoolim~a. Bat rar legal pur20608 cur 8ubjoet 

nattot rbii8 n6ttuall7 Into the mmn oatogor7 66 a0natrou8 

bfrth8, an4 wo h6ve bean abla to rind.8 in ram 066.8 

doallng rith l rrmplaa of trratologl. 

m00, in tb 6mh l dfti0fi or hi8 t0hi0 *p r inalpler end Fraa,tlaeo of Obatotrlo8w, QO peea S6B, atrte8r 
"6 ohlld bora ufth 6 daiorslt~ 80.56rkrd that 

it interfem8 alth the geman OT 1006l 60rrb 

03rJsnt~ Or th0 body 18 ObliOd 6 EODbtOTP 

At OQcaaa hU it S68 8 Qi66W6nCT t0 6hQW l 

U$ 6tXa ~S birth ior rmtaey. HzISXS3 v. IWWUXD; 8 Chaa. 

. * 

But it b68 bean hold that wh6n 6 gore611 h68 by 

th0 ~bUf'tl1 l X6,rO166 O? rork OX Sirill 60 dbb~t with 6 

huwm botl7 or gart of 6 kwa6n body in hla 16wfti pO6668- 

8106 that it La8 6cc;uirOd 6m attribute8 diii67nntl6ting 

it fXa 8 i6OTO aOTp60 @U@iting burlil, he 6OqUh68 6 

rfslf to retain ~o6sr66lc0 of it. 8t 1666t 68 a66in6t 

any ~r6oci not l ntftled to hara it dalrored to Mm ror 

tb ;Ur;oc6 of burial, b a l t ubjoat to any politlto lav 

w!dch rOTbib it8 Tbt66tiOn Ua66r tb6 ~DTtlOUkX OlrOun6t6aC.S. iloci%i%iR3 ‘I. %‘liE[a;, b AUSt. c. L. Et. 106. 

ti th0 DOOd0~6ti Y. 6glma opidO!$, Color J\IStiC@ 

CiTirrith Of t30 E&h CUM O? R~btmu6, *rot01 

OIt 18 id18 t0 8OUtell& in tbs.6 d.36 tb6t 

tha ~066666ton 0r 6 atum7, or 0r 6 prepared 

Shelton, Or oi 6 &tax, O? Othet B6TtS Or a 

hUQM bOd7, i8 Ii800666rli7 ti@BI$Ui$ ii it 18, 

tb I6667 V6lubblO OOl~bOti~ Of 6Il6tCJlldO6l 

@&Id pathological 8peUtinS or prepsratlon8 

rOrmCd b&d fZ6intPtoOd by SOientiflO bodiO8, 

80r0 rOT& 6a 6rO Q6iatbiQO6 ia T%Ol@tiOCC 

Or th0 lb0 

UQCQ the DUthOXit~ Of tM 6bOT6 d6OiSiO68 68 U@ 

Of tt8 0phiO0 that th0 O?il¶Or8hip 66d BO66O66iOll Qf a 

ma11-pr086rr6d spotin ar MO d natun*r hu3ma irsak8 

WOUu no t b0 a OR t?t0 @ Tt~ & l piXit Or th OtX6UJQ 16% 

On ttr Otb8T bald, it 633MbrS that 6t O-Oil 1.W th. OXhlbltlo2 of a jW686rV6& s;ocStXatrS birth QT humn tn6k 

uoultl ba grohlblt*d 68 OQltt6 boa08 aotd8 bad #II U.aLa*iJ. 

la?rlogeneat ti xbllo m mU61IOQIOma67. 

Th6 16~ of this oouatrt nlat%Bg to tba rlf#~ta 

Or propextf QX po866861On bl d6.d bodies 18 SU966riZd irr 

19 COECTJB Jmas, 6t p6g6 ll39. lie quot. brleiln 
~@itS ia 6 b0.d body l Xi- only rOT the 

purp0.6 or buTi. 6a6 pn86rt*t10a or tb r6- 

sllna artmr bar161 664, ln th6 abaeaae 0r 

l tb tUtO. it 06M Ot b 0 dfSW.Od Or r Or M Y 

%O COUrb Of fm.dMi Aj5abiS Or !?6X68 ;LI th0 

aam 0r 083 v. STATB, 1114 s. lr. 635, 6tCt6a whmt H 

6OC6pt 66 tha 1.W Of thi8 @tote O&l propsrtf right8 in 

d66d b0d168, ia tha rOiiOHftIg i6n@~g61 

Tulle the badf la not propmrt7 in tha 

u8ua117 rsoognlmd aoaao 0r the word, yet it 

M7 bo consid6red 68 l Sa t of quasi groropsrt7, 

to which certain pereons cu17 hat* rl&?ta, as 

thSJ h6~ 6Uti~S t0 &WTrOra tCNDT6 it, &3d 

tb Tl&ht to diSN.6 of 6 oor;oa b7 decoat 

M~ltUlW 1!lOhzd68 the TLght t0 th. QO66686iOtl 

Or the body ia tha 8.m oondition & ah.loh 

death le6Y68 it.- 

It i8 bJ$~iOti t0 IIeUUO that the TOMB COUtiS 

would recorfnin propertjrightr in a pnaenad ap8o&an~ 

or h3386tt 6ar0~6t~~. 

h r XíI#inrg XVQ l 0066id.T.tfOS Of the 0-a bW 

t0 thO St6tUtw 16W Of T-8 it IS •p~rMt tfibt th6 

.+.T-eh6@ng QOtiOllS Or pblfo doooao7 arm i6df0.t.~ by 

tho r@iiUr~ or the Le~1816tar6 to l aot 6 lam ranotely 

6~~lf0.b~. to th6 pr666ti bltU6tlOa. 

A CDT&I1 ~~~@@t~g68b!b Or the Oitii IStbtUt68 

Or TeX.6 do.6 not disclo8. 6llJ 1.U Wrt6inio45 to thO 

oxblbttlon of the prmermd bodr of l hwaa freak. 

s6 hbV6 6X6?6iE6d tb6 btbt~t68 I-OhtiG t0 thO 

juribdlotiO6, pOw6r 6a6 dUtl68 Of t&O ti@tOdOd BOatd 

Or th0 Stbk, AwEi 4663 thTUQ$ 4690 68 6MQdOd. 

Vermm~a rtnnotated Clr$l $StatuteS, hnd iltd that the7 

hero QO berrinq a thie quartion. 

Th0 86m 18 tTW Or th6 stata I)osrd O? mbOhh& 
Hon. -0. W. Cox, Fag8 8 

statutea, Artlclua 4576 tmtqh 458Ic, a8 armdad, 

Yernon~8 Aaaotatod al+11 Statutes. rhich 88t out tb 

pcwbrr an4 &at188 oi th8 Board. 

Th8 quertlon of th8 eothorlty ot ths St8tb 

Board of Eealth over tha rrhibltlaa of ths 80-aall*& 

“turtle babp ham a8o888itated 88 &~~lr8i8 Oi LLul88 2da 

through 57 of hrtlolr 4471, (18 saunded, Yeracm~r A;mo- 

;!a&6 Cltll Stetutea, wdoh purteln to vital rtati8- 

. Th4 tltsl Statlrtlr ~rorlrloa8 02 Art1010 4477 

ar8 the neere8t apprcaoh N* hnvo to positi+* lar in thla 

stat8 go+ornfag tE8 paauU0r rituatloa 548 ars 0038idorhg. 

Ths %artlr babp wea born la tto par 1920, 

acecrdl.ng to th8 faotr. At that tti Ruloa 34 tbra& 

5'1, ml018 U71, Reriaeed Ci~ll Statutel, 1925, (Act8 

1911, 32nd Leg., eh. 93, and Act8 1917, 35th Lag., oh. 

1291, tt0rb 18 ml r0r00 8d 8ffa. 

Bul88 Z4 to ST wrs rupael8& by Act8 192?, 40th 

ZlK., 18t C. S., p. 116, oh, U, 8 24. 

Rillo8 34a t!zough ?I?, Artlale 4477, Vornoa’8 

A-xiotatad Civil Statuter a8 umndod, (Act8 1927, p. ll6 

and Aotr 1939, R. B: 614f are no1 tke gortloa of tb Danltary oo& relating to rltal rtatl8tio8. 

At the tlm of the Sirth 8nd death of tin 

Vurtle babp, 6x1108 34, 38 and 40 read ma folla8~ 

=Rule 34. To ruport blrthr. - All phfrloi8n8, 

surgeons or aooaxohbur8 (nlUwi+or) *ho pu7 attool et the birth of a child, or, la the abrmoo 

of such 8tkndance, l lthm parent of the obild, 

#hall xw>ort the faot, togethw rith all 8tatiatlorl data relating t&rata, wlthla firm day8 

tron tlm of tk8 birth, to the city OT county 

rugirtrsr a8 here&&after prorldo4 fQT.- 

"&la 35. Undortakmrs to ra;or$ dasth8.- 

Evtw7 per8cm 8otlag t8 unciortakar 8h8ll file 

with ttu przpur reglatrcr a o8rtlfloat8 of U8oth 

and all gmrssw hrmlehiry a oofiln o? box in 

t:;?ch to burf the &wl 8h811 bm dwsm& u&ortakers.* 
Hon. 0~0. w. aox, Page 5 

‘mllo 40. DiSpOSing cd b&y. - Thb body of 

any person whoa8 Abath odours within, or whlah r18y 

be found Aoad within, this St8ts shall not k 

intarred or A8~08itd in 8 vault. or tomb. or 

ho14 t@m~Ol'arily ~adlng further &iSpOSktiOa, 

for 8 ReriOd Of EorS than SeVO!ltJ-tW0 hour@ after 

iea t@ . 0 0 l l ( u a a sr s8o r ~ c ur s). 

Than 18 no lniorreatioa eubmlttad a s to rhotEar 

the birth and doatE of tb wturt18 babp war0 reported 

t0 t&8 proper m%giStrar la OO~Ip11aS08 wlth the teN Of 

tEb old RdOS 34 and 35, l boro quoted. ?urthwmors, it 

is not aisclo8od whether or not .in oocQlianc8 with Rule 

40 8 perdt *for other d~8pOSit~On” of th8 body VIM 

obtained la view ot tb@ feat that it was bid ior more 

thsa 7% hour8 SftSr death. 

ft 18 U8.1088 t0 S~OUlat~ Uncut th.8. aOt8 W!iiOh 

ma7 or ma7 not lmtm 00ourred baok la 1925, but it is our 

oplnlon that unaor the original Biulo 40 and thr pre88nt 

MS Sh (Aoad bodlos) - th8 latter Word@& @ub@tantia~~ 

lib the repealed Rul0 40 - before ths body of 8 oEifA 

born a rollStar 00tid bo 18&1~ prO@Omd 8 gWiILit tould 

hare to be 0btda.d rroa tb looal reg1*trer. 

Ths phraw *'athor A18jko81tfoaa la broad enough to 

oavar ~roservrtlon for wdioal Or l ducatlozul ptupo8es 

of 8 n~@troU~ btrthr 

tfs aall attoatloa to the >roSsnt Rub a, uti010 4477, Yeraoa*s innotated Cl+11 Statutes, rhlah maA8 

CD f 0110-S: 

l tilm 35b . Red bodiSS.- SaO. 5. That ttm 

body oi any porraa Wj;O88 do&h fxoOM ln tbla 

St8t8, OT rhloh ShSll be tOtUkd aOe& thOrOh, 
Hon. aso. 1. Cox, Pa@ T 

rhall not be iElt4rTed, d8>081t84 fn 8 VSUlt 

triot, or bo tw~;or8rll7 held pen- fir#or 

w. 8S@&881~ the f#Ot that in T8XRS tb Old it’ll. 

10 Slid th0 JBrOBS,nt BrilS w Ot ilrtiO18 2dn Srb StEitUtq 

8dhorit7 to th8 siteot th4t other diSpO8itiO?I or l 

OOrQSO thm burlal PUt be IMAO. 

UodOT this 84OtbR the Stat0 %ard Of Health 

atid th8 ~giStr.%r Of titd StatiSticS ha- SUtbTit~ 

OTO? the AiSp8ittm ai tb bOdi88 Of ~OnStrOUB births, 

ana mq la8u8 or mfu.sb to lrsw 8 permit ror tbr prourrntloa OS 8~OObLOtlS. 

A8 m hare ~lW1ffl817 lnatoatd, w 60 not know 

what, ii any, pmnlt maa obtaiard in r08p008 t0 th# Al@- 

paoltlon of W body of tha l txutlo baby- in 1926. 

Ia the present 1aStinOe the iallure o? tb 

pamWIt@ rho z?im?mi?iod th8 8048l~8d wturt~8 babp to 

procure ruoh a permit la 1924 woul& not bo materhI sinoo 

tha property right8 o? th8 .ownbr 05 the pn*err*4 l p**1- 

mea OSlUMt b0 Ai@tttTbrd 8t this tinw. 

WS am not ptt@Sin& in tai8 opinion UQOR th8 

qUS#tiOU Oi whether Or not the ptUMt8 Of th. "turtlm 

babp era guilt7 oi having tiolatod A2'tiolS 721, FSnrl 

CefS Of TeXbS, (AC%@ 1911, p. 175; ACtS 19l?, p. 332) 

w;-.lo.h ~138 In efieot et tM tim the aturtlo babp maa 

born, ale4 and was pranmd. Sala pnal prorlhaa 

reads 88 fO~OU@t 

-An7 person ~30 rhll tlolate an7 rule of 

tb &altary -Co&o oi U&8 Btaa rolstin(l to 

Vital #tEti#ti88, Or Who Sh8u i#U t0 JWfO= 

tmy duty imposed OR him by da rules helrla 

rehrmd too, 8hsll bo fin@& not 1088 than ton 
-- 

Hon. a80. w. cox, Paw 5 

nor~or8 than 0a8 hnndrmd dollars. mo8v8r 

ahall ialsoly or rrmdulmatly ?ur~~@h~mny lat3NtiOa ?Or th8 ~QOSS Of mrSking M iaOorreot rooord o? 8 birth or d8ath 8hau be ooa- 

?fnsd ia th, poniteatiary not 1888 thu QOO 

nor morm than two yearn.. 

art1010 4470 &Il88 3& tbroU@l 57, da8 nob 

oonfor say jUriSdiOt& in the Boerd o? Eaalth over tba 

exhibition o f l &WSBWWI~ SpSOhM Of hmznn =uO-ttOn. 

Bulas 77 thraPgh Ed, Art1010 U7T, Yoraoa*~ Anaotato6 Clrll StatutWS, relate to the tr~argortatian o? 

dOOa;~d8, and harm no applloatlo won thb prornt 

. 

Altho~@ the exhibitian of 8 monetrota birth 

ooaatitut8d a mixiolraaor ot ocmaon law, thorn 18 a0 

po81tir8 l.ar in the OrkiUti Statutes o? TOSS rhleh 

wool4 Sorb14 much l publio aisplq. 

A&iOxb 1 OfthS SW81 cOf&, VSlmOa'#J AZUIOt8tSd 

-i&d StatUk8, DrO~id881 

"'l'h. d.Sign Of iMOtiry this Cod8 18 t0 

d8finS ia p x k ji~p g ~8ge lTOr T Of?SUSS Sg 8inSt 

the 1aWS Of thl8 State, alld l ??iX t0 @aOh oiions* lta propr pctn2Wnt.a 

‘In order thtt the 8-w or wXl81 xar in 

?orM in this Stata m87 be a-lot. dthh iteel?, and that 00 sy8tam of roroigp laws, writton or umrlttoa, mar bo l gpealod to it la 

d#Oh~d that no pr8oa shall bo punf~trrd for 

an7 Sot Or aniS#iOa ti888 th. DUO 18 mad. 

a mnbX ofieaab, d 8 penalty $8 aSflu 

thento by th *IrfttM law o? khi# St8te.' 

Tb PS?i1 aOd8 4088 not UkS th8 l xblbltlon O? 

8 SpOObba O? hUMB &Xi@tr08ttF~~ Qs 8 ?rMk Of a a t- l 

1 

end orrttnn, or prcdae 8 panlty tharefor. The coda 

S OXOiUSitO Or t&S OWWI km, a06 l BI.bdO~MOZ 8s 
-- 

803. aao. II. aor, Pe&O 6 

oamon 189 la 2ot a siadmmen~ In Teaa today ualra* 

l dafInadg Ia th* aa. 

Artlole M6, Rnal Cod., deallag with Indaoont 

pPblIastioaa nn& l x.~~ausea, provldwr 

‘Ii anf pram shall mala, pabllrh or prIa8 

afir Indooont 81&d obroonr D-t, pfOtUr8 Or 

nitton oomoaltlon maniteatl~ deslcaod to 

corrupt tin-zsarala or 

Ithaa~enhUthatthrrard8~ob~ano ud 

Indaosn$ aUbftionm es use& in hstiale 526 1uana UI l fpoauun or the parts or the person commonly eonaidere& as 

prirata . TfxmlR t. STThTz, 19 s. Y. 1004. Thla l tatuta 

wada not a??17 to the l zhlbltkm of a mzznUla& abnorc 

cm1 baby, sin08 auoh an l x!iIbltIoD r;uld not bo *obsoano 

and Indaoent* nIthIn the eaanlng oi tb atok. 

ammating upni the manIns of the aor *tidecanop the amlrt In the oaaa 0r BiaD v. 6?.iTE* T OS., A. 

578, sso$ 61 s. x. 700; statad: 

l r **Tho a n- atha ~, pr*+*ilw ateto 

of pub118 morality at tb partloular pdod, - 

mom largaly than any athor OM thlq detemlne 

what tha dtvceaoy en6 Iadeoenoy oi that partim%- 

ler day an& ipzmraltloa #ball bo. Many thInga 

ragasdol (by law 88 well 88 bv ~oular oginloa) 

l hundru& years ago am being Indaaaat ara not 

so regard84 ww; be on the otlmr baa&, tha 

greaont age hea daralopad daa~aolra and iadOo@nde8 untaom to or obmmoa by au r0rmm0n.- 

l Is0 a a b c ul, o o ll**, p Eta Io lQ or sur g a o n 

8h a u b tImW#& Or p @ dtte& t0 SeCOivS a a r 

d8a4 haman body uatil bond shall hto baea sirl a am ~rwlaea by law, aa& whomaror ahall MU 
loll, 080. w. aa, ~a@ 10 

or bum any auah bodies or Ln ~~treftio In 

tha same or rhall tranarcx oomof, ox x< 

G*tae traasaittaa or ronvsyead, any wa 

body to any plaoo outsMa the stat0 shall be 

iin84 not l xoarding two hundral 

1arB or ba impria0oaa not *x000 

$eoo.oo) 401. 

nig two par8 

Is Jail.* (Uadaraeorin~ ours) 

The l tilbltioa sf l p r a r sna l 4 pcoima of 8 

monrtroU8 birth Is not tantawwt to traffloking In 

dea4 bodloa rithin the prohlbltlon of tha Poral t&atTb wra l trdfIo* hma a pertoat olaar an4 

marnlag of ito owa at law. 

ut8. 

6eriaita 

UomI~r’8 Law Dfotionsrr. Ra~le8’ 3rd l dltlan, 

doflnas tmrflo as r0u0S08 

l a o aaa -0trsdo; 8; sale ox oxohm@ 0r m*lc 

obradlao, bill@, aoney an& tbo like. The passIna. of goods or ofm5oditlaa Srom oa* p*rson to 

a no ther for l O l ;iuIrrloat in pod8 rp timer; 

-4 a tralrl0k.e is on0 rho trdfioa ax l traaor, a nerohant." &L!?IOR f. lt.Z’l’~~Alt, 44 Ohio 

Stat., 615, ll It. h'32l.v 

SOS r0m3dly eaasm rob 

~trartlr~t 

l imllar dafInltIcma Of 

PZG?LX v. DURl'GRD, R?O If.?. 10, 100 X.R. 435, 434t 

TIXR v. lzoU?t, 77 So. 633, 5% 74 Fla. 4lT 

RGBIX GGODFXLLCW (D. C., 

iw.xu 1. ROWDRLLI, 

z38h.j u) -4. (2df eer,oea~ 

160 X.1.8. me, 767. 

It Is wtrwmly &arbti\ll Wmt the l xhIbi8lon of 

a wll-prSSOmO& apoo&an 0r huwa ~lformatlonroul& 

asmut to aa sot Injurlws to the >ublIo health, ao aa 

to ooaatltuto l jmblIa mIaano0, although tU8 ma14 bo 

a quaatlcm af raoa in thm ha$ umlysIa. 

Artfole 69U, Faaal Co&, provider; 

dower shall oarrr on an 

noam or oaeupation, Iajurlcua r 

traffe, burfo the health of 

tboam who realdo in the rioinity, 0~ l urr8r 
785 

Hon. 000. V. Cox, Pago 11 

w mabatamo wbleh ho that dfaot to rwmln 

or pnniaeo la h& 

a 

oaaoaaion, shall bo fin@& 

a* 1888 thou tea ( 10.00) nor fmro thaa 00 

hudm& ($100.00) dollars. zaoh da7 IO 0 

80gsw0 0rr~80.- 

no l rhibltlon of tbo *trrttla babJI 8ml4 not 

amouat to an eat &dSl8 ia610 fnjotiou8 to Irhe pubtir 

hmlth. 

lhwlao. sblotoaa 836 alnrUo arm aubjaot8 o? 

property, and an a06 aonf in 84 to the m&Ioal a hasmoo1 aa laboratory. Thy us 4Iaplapd to ths rablio 

in ~a a o um a n& anatoadaal SOh o Ol8Th. s l turUs babp 

10 4 ~OPIIV, l ooordLn8 to the hots mbdtka, sad lta 

l xhfbItIon tf0ia not violet0 any statute of #a stat0 

ot Taxes that w have bcon abla to biacwu. 

A atu&t of all tha Oaso an& statutory authorities nvoalm that nalthu unCor t!io oamon lam or uaaar 

tho statute8 o? tba atata of Texas is the poasoaaIoa oi 

~~aarva4 spooLann o i liumal buratlon n a g a intst h o 

. Rirthuaora, while at ooznoa law than 1s authorlty to the offoot thst tb gubllo l rbibltlon of a pnurn4 nonotrouo birth uoulll amant to a Eiadsluior. 

-4 bo prohibIta&, the ‘statutory law 0r thla etato, 

oltil or criminal, &we sot prohibit the l xhlbltton of 

8 auadtle& 8peoiwn of Infant abnormality. 

lfa an not la a poaitlba to aat whether mah aa 

l tibitlon sq or aur not 5an an 84ueatloual value to 

tin mbllo ar earn tb wrposo of l Uvaztot3g l olantlfIo 

madloal lassrn~. If tha poullu l ttrlbuto of the t-chead06 baby Ia tho DorAanti 1. Span80 oaao Iurtffiod 

lts praauvation M l olaatIrIo (pounda, thra the %urtlo 

babp ao &.rubt hs aa 0~81 l aiontlilo anatdoal value. 

Its preaanatha an& l xhlbltior, In tha twantlath o&ncannot ubitrrrll or lightly ba 8814 to oonatltuto l 

& wb lia llUiSanO0, L air th0 ixibllo haalth or often& tha 

oonturporarf Renaa of pub118 daoano~, imapootlv~ of the 

laok or statutory 1.a on tb mb$aot. Eleaibea, the rpooh o a dth wh lo h w in l cuounaa Is wmx.?~~ahl~ iourbeoa 

pnra 014, aad raprarenta l &8rinit0 piece 0r in 

thr rlgta or ownormr?Ip M& goa6aaaIon of wbioh t c 

rt7, 

la* 

will prot8ot. 
in amue to pi apdxlo qoaatlona, H wish 

to advisa that it Ia oaz opinion that the Stat0 Board 

oi Roalth does not poaaoaa tb statutory autbo?ItJ to 

forbla the pub118 l xhlbitloa or a tmooa-per ol& 

prsaoma spoolmoo OS lal’ant abnormallt~ knam as tim 

%smIfIo4 hut10 babp. It I8 W 0pIaioa that thm 

p ub 1 1l xtlbitfoa 0 0r l proaon4& wwnlriad* Infant 

a b lowee h b o nwlt a h an l pldwaii oi plate-llkm aoalinoes and uUoh lived threa daya, door not oontravono 

the o l+il or orlsdnal l tatuto8 0r Texas. It I8 our 

further opinion that a parsit tar aa l xhlbltio? OS a 

8 

E 

oiaun or kfantlla l bomtlolr deslgnatod tin fwma lrd turtle baby 1s w8 roqulrra by law. tie are 

of tbo oplnloa that a proseno onlquo l *oIm8a of 

hama nalfonimtlon. i,s tb llubjoot of gropertr rights 

in this state. fimlly, It 18 our o~lnlon that undu 

Article 4477, Ed0 500, tuaon~a 1LaO0te04 civil sktutoa, tam State ?ibr& ai Siealth, acting through t&o 

stats and leoal nglatrar of Tltal Statistics, ha8 tb 

authorit to grant or nfuaa a pomsIt foe the proumtlon or numIfioatlaa at a monatrolu birth. 

Em hen not beoa Iniormo4 as to tbr mnaor la 

whloh the *turtle babp will ba oxhibitod to the publlo, 

but auoh an oxhlbiticwr vi11 In all probability ba subjoot to the ooou~atIoa tax laws 0r this state. Sam 

Artfolo ?04V', Sootlon8 td to SO, turaoa*s hrmotat4 

abii Statutes. 

Truatln~ that ua ban tally aand oatIofaotoril~ 

l nsworo& four quoatloiu, mo are 

Talra vosy truly 

IB:ob 

APPROVED~ 19, 1940