The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-25

Meeting Of the House Committee or
Health and sanitarysAHaIrs.

The House Committee on Health and SAM
tary Affairs met last night at o'clock, ut the
office of the Board of Health j. w. Dupree,
Esq, Of East Baton Rouge, chairman; j.
W. Williams Of East Baton Rouge, D. A.
house, Albert Estopinal of St. Bernard, G.. w.
Keeting OF Caddo
DIR. Samuel Chopin, president Of the
Board Of Health, was present.
The object Of the meeting was to discuss the
passage in the House tomorrow, Of bill
providing for the organization of local boards
OF health in the parishes, and vesting in
them the power to act In regard TO sanitary
affairs. which power is now vested in the
police juries Of the different parishes. The
proposed law will also vest in the board the
power to issue marriage licenses and certifi-
Gates OF births and deaths, which documents
will be furnished them in blank form ut the
expense OF the State Board OF Health.
DR.. Chopin remarked that this was very
wise provision. because, as Is the case now,
anybody can get married by any clerk OF
court or justice Of the peace; whereas, by
comforting the power on the local board OF
health, it will act as a check or restriction on
illegal unions. This law also provides that,
when person dies, his spouse, or nearest
relative, or landlord, or coroner or under
taker. must report the death within q spec-
fled time, under penalty OF fine.
With regard to births, the physician or mid
wife must make q report to the local board,
giving the sex of the child, time of birth,
name condition and occupation OF the parents.
This law will certainly be beneficial to the
morals and sanitary condition OF the parishes.
Sometimes, said DR.: Chopin, the physicians
statistics, and it Is better to have no statistics
than to have them Incomplete. The salaries
of the officers composing the local boards of
health are to be fixed by the State board.
The section providing for the death reports
will go great way towards preventing the
commission of murders and the occurrence Of
violent deaths. Mr.. j. w. Dupree, the chair
man, read the bill, which contains about
twenty sections. When he closed, Represen-
tative Hammond moved to recommend the
reading and passage Of the act in the House
tomorrow. The motion was carried unani-
mously.
After few remarks on the'provisions OF this
bill from different members Of the committee,
and q discussion on contemplated amend
ment to- the coal oil bill of 1877, DR.. Chopin
rose to recommend that an appropriation be
voted for the repair Of the quarantine build
ings, which were erected in 1865 and nave never
been repaired since These buildings are fall
ing to pieces;. the main hospital Is In bad
order, and all the galleries and posts therein
are completely rotten.
The Doctor says that an appropriation Of
$4,000 would be sufficient to cover all repairs,
together with the expense OF claiming and
fencing the forty-e1ght acres Whlch the state
owns In that section. There is no wharf at
the station, and one ought to be built, for
there is no place there for vessel to dis
charge her cargo. The government owns a
warehouse at the station for the storing Of
goods, but no wharf. DR.. Chopin also recon-
mended the establishment Of q quarantine
station at the Rigolets and at the Atchafalaya.
He then remarked that an inspector OF cattle
should be appointed at a yearly salary OF not
more than $1,000, to superintend the slaughter
of beeves, etc, at the slaughter-house, in or
der that no diseased animals be served for
public consumption.
The committee approved the remarks OF DR..
Chopin, and took them under consideration
Representative Williams, Of East Baton
Rouge, moved to adjourn, which motion was
carried, and the committee adjourned, to meet
at the same place on Monday, the2sth instant,
at o'clock n m