The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-09-06
AN ORDINANCE
To Promote the Health of the city, TO
Create and Establish n Board Of
Health, and to Define the
Powers and Duties of
the same.

Powers and Duties of
the Same.
Section l. BE II ordained by the City Council
of the city of San Antonio, that there be, and
the city, a department TO be known as 'rhe
Board of Health" TO consist OF i've members,
ne nayoI NV no S s,S , a,a ~ oe
citizens, who shall be physicians in good stand
ing. and graduates OF some regular medical
college, TO be appointed by the Mayor and con-
nrmed by the Council. They shall elect one Of
their own members TO preside at their meet
ings who shall be styled the President of the
section 2. The appointed members Of the
Board shall held office for one year, or until
their successors have been appointed and quail
fled unless removed by the City Council for
cause; provided, that the members hrst APP
pointed under this ordinance shall hold Office
until March /, 1880, and all vacancies shall be
hlled for the unexpred term only. They shall
qualify by taking the constitutional oath of
Office. Any failing 20 qualify within 10 days
declined the Office, ana new appointment
shall be made. Three members win constitute
quorum for transaction of business, pro-
vidCd all members are notified of the meeting.
section 3. The Board shall be provided by
the Council win a suitable Onice, which shal
be known rs the health ONCE in which they
shall hold their meetings at least once a mouth,
or ms often us the public health may require,
or when called together by the President or
any four ~ members of the Board. The meet
Jugs shall be public, and their records open
TO all.
to general ordinances of the Council. They
shall have general supervision of all matters
| appertaining to the sanitary condition of the
! city, including the city hospital, jail, aims
house, schools and all health institutions, and
shall sec that all the sanitary 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 city Physician and all other
matters under their charge, at the same time
/ furnish a detailed statement OF the amount
of money that will be required for the depart
ment during the ensuing fiscal year aud the
| Council INDY provide for the raising OF such
| amount, or so much thereof rs in their judy.
/ ment may be necessary. This money shall
| constitute the health fund. All expenditures
shall be subject to approval by the Council in
| the same manner Us all other branches ot the
city government
Section &. The assistant clerk of the city
shall perform the duties of the Secretary Of the
| Board, and shall keep all Its records, books and
papers, and perform such other duties rs may
| be prescribed by said Board
| Section I. Whenever notice shall have been
| given 10 the Board that any public building Is
unilt for habitation by reason OF being injected
| with disease liable to be contagious, they may
| communicate such fact to the Mayor, who
shall issue an order ~ be served upon the
| owner, agent or lessee, requiring all persons
! to vacate, and within "a hours, Or sooner, the
| buildiag must be vacated.
| section 5. Every physician In the city shall
report TO this Board, in writing, immediately
after his INST professional visit, every patient
| he shall have lubUring under the following
| diseases: Typhoid, typhus, yellow fever,
| Asiatic cholera, smallpox or other contagious
| or Infectious diseases, aud every death froin
such disease Immediately after II shall have
! occurred.
sectiong. Every househelde shall also report,
| In person or in writing, 10 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, snal i-pox orany
| other contagious disease he might consider
| dangerous TO the public health. The superin-
| tenuent of Public Schools shall Ia like manner
Diseases,
| and should he tUd any attendant in the schools
| who reside In said houses, he will refuse them
| admittance to the public schools, only readmit-
! ting them again upon presenting certificate
| from the Health Board that there was no Ion.
| ger danger from contagion.
| Section 10. No person shall use, or hire or
| permit any others 10 use without consent OF
the Board of Health, any public vehicle which
has been driven or uGed Tor the conveyance or
removal OF any person afflicted or dead with
section il. When case of smallpox, Asiatic
cholera er yellow tevOr Is reported TO the
Board of Health, the City Physician shall imme-
diately visit the premises where the person is,
and, upon personal inspection, shall cause q
yellow flag 10 be erected in a conspicuous
place upon the premises the same to remain
during continuance of disease.
Section IL. No person shall remove q 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 rs the Board may designate
Section ID. The Chief of Police may, upon
application of this Board, detail not to exceed
four OF the regular police FORCE 10 act health
and sanitary inspectors, enc for each ward. II
shall be their duty TO 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 alfdcad animate, garbage and filth
TO report any locality that may be infected
with low feYers or any kind of epidemic, re-
| port all persons who are using the streets al
to see that they are brought before the Re
c0rder, aud made to understand, through pen
aties imposed, that they cannot persist In such
acts. If this Bosrd find the city ordinances do
not reach all such cases, they will ask thu
Council to make rules that Will have the dc
sired effect.
Section Il. The board shall cause to be KEEP
in their office record of ali births, deaths anC
interments in said city, which shall be open TO
the Inspection of any person during oiiic'
hours. Physicians failing to make said repor
shall be fined by ordinance.
Section 10. No person shall inter any human
body In this city without having first obtaine,
and filed at the Health Office certihcat
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, aud obtain thereupon burial permit
Nor shall anybody be disinterred without
permit from THIS d ONCE b the Board Of healt
receiving vault for a longer period than 3
hours at the expiration ofeaid time IL must b
buried. They shall also see to Ii that all bOdie
of all persons nine years and over be inferred II
a grave not less than six feet deep, or IL undo
that age the grave be not less than five C) fee
nSection 10. City sections and Superintendent
of Cemeteries must, once a week, each Mon
day. make returns TO the office of the Board o
Health names OF all persons deposited In thei
respective cemeteries during the precedn
!, week.
section II. A railroad or any other COMPANY
transporting "a dead body without II perni
from the city, or bringing one into the cit
who may have died of cOntugion, is guilty Q
serious misdemeuuor, and shall be prOseou
ted, unless the said body died while In trans
10 TINS city, when Immediate notice must b
. given to tine Board of Health, otherwise tn
penalty wild be incurred.
Section Is. In case of Il serious epidemic, tn
Board may meet and adjourn from day
: day, the number increased by an Alderma
from each ward, and for actual service rel
dered during said period, the City Council wi
award additional pay In proportion To amour
| of services performed.
4 | Section 10. The Board shall cause 10
1 erected and shall have entire charge of a sui
{ able vault or morgue, for reception of a
i bodies whom II may be necessary to hold
post mortem examination upon, as TO caui
70 OF death
Section 20. The City Physician in his reutir