The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-09-14
AN ORDINANCE
To Promote the Health of the city. To
Create and Establish Board of
Health, and to Define the
Powers and Duties of

Section 1. BE IL ordained by the City Council
OF the city of san Antonio, that there be, and
II hereby created and established, I'm and for
the city, u department 20 be known as "The
Board OF Health" TO consist of five members
to-wit The Mayor and City Physician to be
ex-oiiiciO members OF the said Hoard and three
citizens, who shall be ply scans In good stand
ing, ana graduates OF some regular medical
college, TO be appointed by the Mayor and con-
their own members 10 preside at their meet
i,ngs who shall be styled the President OF the
section 9. The appointed members OF the
Board shall hold Office for one year or until
their successors have bconappointed and quail
ihed, unless removed by the city Council for
cause; provided, that the members first ap-
pointed under this ordinance shall hold office
until March ], 1885,, aud all vacancies shall be
hlled Tor the uneNpiTed term only. They shall
qualify by taking the constitutional oath of
Office. Any failing 90 qualify within 10 days
after the appointment shall be deemed a have
declined the Office, ANA n new appointment
shall he made. Three members win constitute
quorum Tor transaction of business, pro-
Nided all members are notified OF the meeting
Section .. The Board shall be provided by
The Council with suitable Office, which shall
be known as the health office" In which they
shall hold their meetings nj least once u month,
or as often US the public health may require,
Or when called together by the President on
any Tour ~ members OF tue Board. The meet
lngs snail DE pubic, and their records open
to ali.
Section I. The Board OF Health are subject
10 general ordinances of the Council. They
shall have general supervision of all matters
appfrtaining to the sanitary condition OF the
eltye including the city hospital, jail, aims
house, schools and all health institutions, and
shall see that all the sanitary ordinances of the
city are strictly enforced
Section .. The Board shall on or before the
hrst day OF March OF each year make an annual
report OF the affairs of the health department
TO the Council and shall include therein the
report OF the CITY Physician, and all other
matters under their charge, at the same time
furnish detailed statement of the amount
OF money that VIII be required for the depart.
Council may provide Tor the raising of such
amount, or so much thereof as in their judg-
ment may be necessary. This money shall
constitute the health fund. All expenditures
shall DC subject to approval by the Council ia
the same manner rs MI other branches OF the
city government.
shall perform the duties OF the Secretary of the
Board, aud shall keep all It's records, books and
papers, and perform such other duties rs may
hc prescribed by said board
section I. whenever notice shall have been
given to the Board that any public building Is
unit for hHbitation by reason OF being infected
with disease liable to be contagious, they may
communicate such fact to the Mayor, who
shall issue an order to be served upon the
owner, agent or lessee, requiring all persons
to vacate, and within "a hours, or sooner, the
building must be vacated
Section s. Every physician in the city shall
report 10 THIS Board, in writing, Immediately
after his first professional visit, every patient
he shall have laboring under the following
diseases; Typhoid, typhus, yellow fever
or infectious diseases, and every death from
such disease Immediately after II shall have
occurred.
sectionU. Every householder shall also report
in person or in writing, TO this Board the names
OF all the inmates OF his or her house whom
he shall have reason to believe sick of typhoid
typhus, yellow fever, cholera, smallpox orany
other contagious disease he might consider
dangerous to the public health. The Superin-
tendent OF Public Schools shall in like manner
be notified of locations of contagious diseases
and should he Ind any attendant In the schools
who reside In said houses, he will refuse them
admlttancc to the public schools, only readmit-
ting them again upon presenting a certificate
from the Health Board that there was no lon
ger danger from contagion.
Section 10. No person shall use, or hire or
permit any others to use without consent of
the Board of Health, any public vehicle which
has been driven or used Tor the conveyance or
removal OF any person afflicted or dead with
smallpox.
Section IL. When case of smallpox, Asiatic
Gholera or yeliow FEVER Is reported to the
diately visit the premises where the person is
and, upon personal inspection, shall cause
yellow flag to be erected in conspicuous
place upon the premises, the same to remain
during continuance of disease.
Section u. No person shall remove a smallpox
patient without consent OF the City Physician
lie may, with the approval of the Board. cause
removal TO the smallpox hospital, or such
other place as the Board may designate.
Section IL. The Chief of Police NAV, upon
application OF this Board, detail not to exceed
four of the regular police force TO act as health
ana sanitary inspectors, one for each ward. IL
shall be their duty 10 report all violations of
city ordinances detrimental TO public health,
all cutters or sewers that may not be In good
order, or have become foul. Also all privies,
standing water or stagnant pools TO cause the
removal OF all dead animals garbage and filth
10 report any locality that may be Infected
win low teYers or any kind of epidemic, re-
port all persons who are using the streets as
sewers, emptying Stops and refuse therein, and
TO see That they are brought before the RE
cOrder, aud made to understand, through Den-
they in mol,
acts. III tins Board find the city ordinances do
not reach all such cases, they will ask the
COuhcli 10 make rules That will have the de-
Section II. The board shall cause to be kent
in their Office record of ali births, deaths and
interments in said city, which shall be open for
the inspection Of any person during Office
hours. Physicians failng to make said report
shall be lined by ordinance.
Section 10. No person shall inter any human
body IN this city without having frst obtained
and filed at the Health office "a certificate
signed by physician or coroner, setting forth
as near as possible name, age, sex, color place
OF birth, occupation, date locality and cause of
death, and obtain thereupon Il burial permit
Nor shall anybody be dlsinterred without
permit from this office. The Board of Health
shall see that no dead body be allowed in any
receiving vault for a longer period than 30
hours; at the expiration of said time 1t must be
buried. They shall also see to 1t that all bodies
OF all persons nine years and over be inferred in
y grave not less than six feet deep, or IL under
that age the grave be not less than five (5l feet
section 10. City Sections and superintendents
OF Cemeteries must, once n week, leach Mon
day. make returns 10 the office of the Board of
Health names of all persons deposited in their
respective cemeteries during the preceding
week.
Section II. A railroad or any other company
transporting dead body without permit
from the city, or bringing one into the city
who may have died of cpntagion, is guilty of
serious misdemeanor, and shall be prosecu-
ted, unless the said body died while In transit
TO this city, when immediate notice must be
given 10 the Board of Health, otherwise the
penalty will be incurred.
section IL. In case of a serious epidemic the
Board may meet and adjourn from day TO
day, the number increased by an Alderman
from each ward, and for actual service rem
dered during said period, the City Council viii
award additional pay In proportion to amount
of services performed
Section 49,. The Board shall cause to be
erected and shall have entire charge of suit
able vault or morgue, for reception of all
bodies whom IL may be necessary to hold a
of death.
Section 20. The City Physician in his routine
OF duties shall follow out all directions of this
Board, consult with them when necessary
upon all diihcult questions ask their aid and
assistance whenever suffering humanity may
demand IL.