Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-07
BOARD OF HEALTH
TO &c COMMISSIONED By TINE GOV
eRN0R.
Who Have Been Appointed-Ihslr Terms
of Office A Brief Synopsis OF
The important Act Passed
March 9Th, 1881.

following gentlemen, WIZ VII, eo'
tnte the State Board Of Health, their
terms of Office being so arranged that
two shall be appointed every two years:
First Congressional District-Dr. J. +.
Reeves. Ohio county, six years, and DIR.
Geo. b. Moffe,t, Wood county, two
Second Congressional District - DIR.
Geo. II. Carpenter, Hampshire county,
two wears, and DR.. c. +. Richardson,
Jefferson county, four years.
Third Congressional DISSATISFACTION
r. Barbee, Mason county, six years,
and Hon. Isaiah Bee, Mercer county,
four years.
These appointments will undoubtedly
give universal satisfaction, both through
out the State and among the medical pro-
f,ssion, which will not hesitate 20 endorse
the APPOINTMENTS made without polite.
al preierment, but according to merit.
In the case OF DR.. Reeves, who is at the
head and was the father OF the bill, he
has received the tlattering commenda
ton of the profession by being recently
elected unanimously President OF the
State Medical Society. He will call the
Board together to meet in this city on
the 2lst inst.
The act under which these gentlemen
arc app )inted is known as "An act TO
establish State Board OF Health and
regulating the practice OF medicine anu
surgery" In was passed March Sth
and approved March llth.' 1t was a bill
that provoked many highly interesting
discussion in both the House and the
Senate. 1t was vigorously championed
bv DIR. Reeves. OF this city, and an APP
preciation oil those services has been
shown in the placing OF his name at the
head OF the Board. lie was ably assist.
ed in getting his bill through by brother
physicians in both branches. Notably,
Drs. Barbee, Steere, Bee, Irons and
Crumrine.
As there has been considerable curio. :
ity shown over the bill, and letters ask
ing for copies OF it have been received,
II would do no harm to give some OF
the salient points;
The Board shall consist OF two ply.
sicians from each Congressional dis.
trict, who shall be graduates OF respect.
able medical colleges OF not less than y
wears continuous practice and
who have distinguished themselves
by devotion TO the study OF medicine
and allied sciences, who shall be APP
pointed by the Governor, their terms
| of office so arranged that the terms oil
two shall expire every second year.
They shall take TIE same oath OF office
as State officers, and shall meet inside OF
twenty days Of appointment, being call
ed together under the provision oil the
act by one whose name heads the list,
organize by electing President and q
Secretary from their own numbers, and
the board shall provide itself with rules,
regulations and seal.
The Secretary shall be the executive
officer, experimenting and periormine
the duties laid down in the act. lie
shall annually report TO the Governor
the investigations. discoveries and rec.
concentrations of the board, which shall
be printed and distributed as public
documents.
The board shall take cogizance OF the
interests OF the lie and health oil
the Inhabitants OF the State, and shall
make, or cause TO be made, sanitary in
vestiga,ions and inquiries respecting the
causes OF diseases, especially OF ende'
mics, epidemics aud the means OF pre-.
yention; the sources OF mortality and
the effects OF localities, employments
habits and circumstances OF life on the
public health. They shall also in
yestigate the causes OF diseases
occurring among the stock or domestic
animals in the State, the methods oil
remedying the same, and shall gather
information in respect to these matters
and kindred subjects Tor diffusion among
the people.
They shall also advise with regard tc
the location, drainage, water supply
heat and ventilation OF coal mines and
the drainage and sewerage of towns and
cities. When they believe there is 8
probability that any infectious or con
tagious disease will invade this State
from any other State, it shall be their
duty to take such action and adopt such
rules as they may in the exercise OIL
their discretion deem efficient In pre-
venting the introduction and spread oil
such disease or diseases. The better to
accomplish such objects the Board II
empowered and directed to establish and
strictly maintain quarantine at sucll
places as they may deem proper, and
may adopt rules and regulations to OBJ
struCt and prevent the introduction OF
spread OF such diseases TO, or Witsin the
5 ate.
They may enforce inspection OF per-
sons and articles of baggage, or other
goods of whatever character as well as
the purfcatiOn of the same, and com
panies or individuals operating or con.
| trolling railroads, steamers, coaches,
public conveyances and boats on the
| Ohio or its tributaries in this State shall
obey the rules and regulations when
published by the State Board OF Heal th,
and any person or persons having
charge OF any conveyance named who
shall refuse to obey the rules, shall be
held to have committed misdemeanor
and for each oilense shall be fined not
less than $50 or more than 500, or i'm
prisoned not less than fifteen days or
more than two months, or both, in the
discretion oil the jury trying the case, to
be recorded in any court OF competent
criminal or penal jurisdiction.
In each county the Board shall APP
point local board consisting OF three,
one a physician, who shall hold their
Office for two years. They shall inaugu-
rate and execute, and require the heads
OF families so to do, such sanitary regu-
lations as may be considered necessary
to prevent the breaking out and spread
OF infectious and contagious diseases
The local board may inspect premises.
Every physician shall report any infec-
tious disease under his charge TO this
board and it shall report once every
three months all the details to the State
Board as to the character, number and
action taken. When local boards OF
health are established in certain cities
and towns it shall be auxiliary To, and
act in harmony with the State Board.
In counties bordering on the Ohio
river and tributaries and on the line
between Kentucky and West Virginia,
the local boards are empowered to de-
clare quarantine, provided the district
member OF the State Board be notified in
writing, and then the State Board shall
ascertain the necessity OF such quaran-
tine.
The State Board is Also empowered TO
prevent the landing 81 any steamboat