The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-09-13
An ORDINANCE
To Promote the Health Of the City, 10
Create and Establish a Board of
Health, and to Define the
Powers and Duties of
tha Same

the Same.
section 1. BE It ordained by the City Council
OF the city OF san Antonio, that there be, and
IL hereby, created and established, In and for
the city, u department to be known as The
Board Of HEALTH 20 consist Of Ave members.
to-wlt The Mayor and City Physician TO he
cX-o1icio members OF the said Board. and three
citizens, who ehall be physicians In good stand
ing. and graduates OF some regular medical
college, to be eppointed 9S tue Mayor ana con-
their own members co preside at their meet
lngs who shall be styled the president OF the
Hoard OF Health"
section 2. The appointed members of the
Board shall hold office for one year, or until
their successors have been appointed and quail
incd, unless removed by the City Council for
cause; provided, that the members first APP
pointed under this ordinance shall hold Office
until March |, 1855, and all vacancies shall be
nlcd Tor the uneNpircd term only. They shall
qualify by taking the constitutional oath Of
office Any falling 20 qualify within 10 days
after the appointment shall be deemed % have
declined the office, ami new appointment
shall he nude Three members viii constitute
u quorum for transaction of business, pro-
Vtded all members are notified OF the meeting.
Section 3. The Board shall be provided by
the Council with IA suitable Office, which shall
be known MS the health Oihce,' In which they
shall hold their meetings AT least once month,
or as often as the pubic health may require,
or when called together by the President or
any four az members Of the Board. The meet
ings shall be public ana their records open
to all.
section 4. Tho Board of Health are subject
TO general ordinances OF the Council. They
shall have general supervision Of all matters
appertaininp to the sanitary condition OF the
city, including the city hospital, jail, aims
house. schools ana all health institutions, and
shall see that all the sauitury ordinances Of the
city are strictly enforced.
Section D. The board shall on or before the
first day Of March OF each year make AN annual
report OF the affairs Of the health department
to the Council, aud shall include therein the
report OF the ,1ty Physician, ana all other
matters under their charge, at the same time
furnish detailed statement OF Inc amount
Of money that Will be required for the depart
ment during the ensuing fiscal year; aud the
Council may provide Tor the raising Of such
amount, or SO mucu thereof rs in their iudg-
ment may be necessary. This money shall
constitute TIM health fund. All expenditures
shall he subject to approval by the Council in
the same manner Us All other branches OF the
city government.
section IT, The assistant cerl, OF the city
shull perform The duties Oi the Secretary Of the
Board, aud shall keep all us records, books and
papers, aud pertUrm such other duties rs may
hc prescribed by uuid Board.
Section Z. Whenever notice shall have been
given to the Board that ANY hubble building rs
unit for hubtution by reason Of being infected
with disease liable "a be contagious, they may
communicate such tact to tho Mayor, who
shall issue AN order to be served upon the
owner. agent or lessee requiring ali persons
to Vacute ana within "a hours, or sooner, the
building must he vacated.
section 8. Every physician In the city shall
report to this board, IN writing, Immediately
after his FIRST profess Onul visit every patient
he shalt have labOriug under the following
diseases: Typhoid, typhus, yellow fever,
Aelutic cholera, smallpox or other contagious
or infectious diseases, ana every death from
such disease immediately after il shall have
occurred.
section0. Every housohol older shall also report,
In person or in writing, 10 this Board the names
OF all tho inmates OF his or her house whom
he shall have reason TO believe sick OF typhoid,
typhus, yellow fever cholera, sInnl -pON oruny
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 nod any attendant in the schools
who reside In said houses, he Will refuse them
admlttanco 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 cOntlRion.
Section 10. No person shall u6e, or hire or
permit any othors to use without consent of
the Board of Health, any public vehicle which
has been driven or ueed tor the conveyance or
removal of any person afflicted or dead with
Section II. when a case of small-por, Asiatic
cholera or yellow fever is reported to the
Board of Health, the City Physician shall imme-
diately visit the premises whore the person Is
and, upon personal inspection, shall cause a
yellow nag TO be erected in a conspicuous
place upon the premises, the same to remain
during continuance of disease.
Section IL. No person shall remove smallpox
patient without consent Of the City Physician.
lie may, with the approval of the Beard cause
removal to the smallpox hospital, or such
other place as the Board may designate.
Section -. The Chief of Police may upon
application of this Board, detail not to exceed
four of the regular police force TO act as health
and sanitary inspectors, one for each ward. II
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 prlyies
standing water or stagnant pools to cause the
removal OF ail dead animals, garbage and NTH
with low feYers or any kind of epidemic, re-
port all persons who are using the streets M
sewers, emptying slops and refuse therein, anC
TO that they brought lplnrp the RE
cOrdor, and made to understand, through pen
altes imposed, that they cannot persist In suct
acts. If this Board ind the city ordinances DC
not reach all such cases, they will ask tn,
Council to make rules that will have the de
sired effect.
Section H. The board shall cause to be ken
in their office "a record OF ali births, deaths nnC
| intorments In said city, which shall be open TO
the inspection of any person during ofhc'
| hours. Physicians failing TO make said repor
shall be fined by ordinance.
Section To- No person shall inter any human
! body In this city without having first obtained
and filed at the Health Office certilcat,
| signed by physician or coroner, setting fortl
! as near us possible name, age, sex, color, plac
| of birth, occupation date, locality and cause o
death, and obtain thcreupon burial permit
| Nor shall anybody be dlsinterred without
permit from this office. The Board of Healtl
shall see that no dead body be allowed IN any
! receiving vault for a longer period than q
/ hours; at the expiration of said time 1t must b.
| buried. They shall also see to il that all bodie
of all persons nineyear and over be inferred II
/
that age the grave be not less than five 90 fee
| deep.
Section 10. City Sections and superintendent
| of Cemeteries must, once u week, leach Mon
| day. make returns to the Office of the Board o
| Health names OF all persons deposited in thei
| respective cemeteries during the preceding
| week.
Section II. A railroad or any other COMPANY
| transporting dead body without u permit
from the city, or bringing one into the citl
who may have died Of contagion, is guilty o
serious misdemeanor, ana shall be prOsecu
ted, unless the said body died while in transl
| to this city, when immediate notice must b
| given to the Board of Health, otherwise tn
| penalty will be incurred.
| Section IL. In case of "A serious epidemic, tn
Board may meet and adjourn from day /
day, the number increased by an Alderman
from each ward, and for actual service rem
dored during said period, the City Council wi
award additional pay In proportion n amour
OF services performed.
Section 49,. The Board shall cause to h
erected and shall have entire charge OF a suit
able vault or morgue, for reception of d
bodies whom IL may be necessary Co hold
post norton examination upon, us TO caus
of death.