Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-13
A BILL BY PIE DOCTORS.
HOW THE HEALTH BOARDS
WOULD FIGHT CONTAGION.

1
A National Board OF Health Provided
fOr-LOcaI Boards to Co -operate--San-
itary Laws Respecting Shipping Must
be Rigidly Enforced-The Board to
Handle the Appropriations.
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-The Committee on
Federal Legislation appointed By the National
Conference of the State Boards OF Health has
| completed a bill upon which it was engaged
yesterday and which embodies the views Of
the conference as to the best method Of pre-
venting the introduction into the United
| States Of cholera and other diseases dangerous
| to the public health. The first of the ten Sec
tiOns comprised in the bill provides for Ma
| t.0nal Board of Health TO consist of one mem
! ber from every State Health Board
now or hereafter established. to be anDointed
| by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
| I his differs from the original act in that il
| largely increases the membership of the
board, and excludes from it medical officers
| from the army, navy and marine hospital
| service, and a law officer from the Depart
ment Of Justice,
The second section of the new bill provides,
| as did the corresponding section of the origl-
nal act, for the collection and dissemination
| OF sanitary information, etc, but greatly en-
| larges the scope of the boards powers by
| authorizing it to frame rules and regulations
for the government of the quarantine service
of the United States and by vesting in the
| board all authority which is now, or may
| uef6dllef, bc pfONlucu Dy law IOr the control
| and protection of the public health.
COOPERATION DIRECTED.
1t directs the national board to co.operate
with the local boards as far as it lawfully may,
and to aid in the enforcement of the latter's
rules and regulations, but it also authorizes
the national board, upon the direction of the
President, TO act In the several States inde-
pendently, and to make and enforce there its
own rules, regardless of the local boards.
The third section relates to the regulation of
ori tfFnu
the National Board to frame rules to be OBJ
served by all vessels sailing from foreign
ports to ports of the United States, and pro
Vides that such rules, when approved by the
President and issued by the Department of
State, shall be enforced by all consular Off
GERS and agents of the Uuited States, as we'll
as by medical officers serving under this act.
Section 4 provides that any vessel from
any foreign port which shall attempt to enter
any port of the United States IN violation of
the above mentioned rules and regulations
shall be liable to process in the proper Dis
trict Court of the United States, and upon
conviction shall forfeit to the United States
sum to be awarded in the discretion of the
court, not exceeding $1,000, which shall be a
lien upon such vessel.
CERTIFICATES NECESSARY.
In order to show that it has complied with
these rules and regulations, every vessel shall
be provided with proper certificate from the
United States consular or medical officer at
the port of departure who must be satisfied
true.
Section provides for a similar observance
of these rules, and a corresponding certificate
from the health officer at the port of entry.
Section authorizes the President of
the United States in any threatening emer-
gencY to make known by proclamation the
measures which he may think necessary TO
meet 1t, such as suspending the introduction
by land or sea of any dangerous kind of mer-
chandlse, or prohibiting entirely the entry
into United States ports of vessels from IN
fected countries. He shall at the same time
convene the National Board of Health in spe-
ciai session. and the measures devised by the
latter shall, upon approval by the President,
supersede the Executive proclamation.
THE REMAINING SECTIONS.
The remaining four sections provide for the
collection by the consular officers of sanitary
statistics and information in foreign ports, for
the detail by the President of the department
officers to serve temporarily under the direc-
tiOn of the board without extra compensation.
for an appropriation of $500,00 to meet the ex-
penses incurred in carrying out the provisions
Of the bill, such sums to be disbursed under
disbursing agents, and for the repeal OF all
acts inconsistent with the terms of this one.
A delegation of physicians and members Of
the State Boards of Health IN attendance at
the conference placed the bill in the hands Of
the House Committee on Public Health this
afternoon.
DIR. Walcott, of Boston, Hon. Erastus
Brooks, of New York, and DIR. Mccormack,
of Louisville, made short speeches before the
committee. They urged legislative action IN
the direction proposed by the bill, and said
that the measure was approved by the boards
of health of 25 States. Representative Beach,
Chairman of the Committee on Public Health,
says that he regards the measure prepared by
his committee will give it consideration at an
early date.