The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-13
Health Measures.


WASHINGTON, December u. - The
committee on federal legislation aD-
pointed by the national conference of
the State board of health has com
pleted bill, width embodies the views
OF the conference as to the best method
OF preventing the introduction into the
/ United States of cholera and other dis
eases dangerous to the public health
The first of the ten sections comprised
in the bill provides for a national board
of health, to consist of one mem
Der from every State health
board, now or hereafter estab-
llShed, to be appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate.
This differs from the original act, in
that it largely increases membership of
the board and excludes from it the
medical officers from the army, navy
and marine hospital service, and the
law officer from the department of
justice. The second section of the new
bill provides, as did the corresponding
section of the original act, for the col
lection and dissemination of sanitary
information, ETC., but greatly enlarges
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 it (this board) all the
authority which is now, or NAV here
after be, provided By law for the con-
troll and protection of the public health.
1t directs the national board to co-ope r
ate with the local boards as far as II
lawfully can, and in the enforcement of
the latter's rules and regula-
tions, but it also authorizes the
national board, upon the direction
of the President, to act in the Several
States Independently, and to make and
enforce there its own rules, regardless
of the local boards. The third section
relates to the regulation of the marine
quarantine Sc vice and authorizes the
national board to frame rules to be OBJ
served by all yes els sailing from foreign
ports to ports OF the United States, and
provides such rules when APP
proved by the President and is
sued by the Department of State shall
be enforced by all the consular officers
and agents of the United States, as we'll
as by the medical officers serving under
this act. Section four 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
District Court of the United States,
and, upon conviction. shall forfeit
to the United States a sum to
be awarded in the discretion of the
court not exceeding 81 900, which shall
be lien upon the vessel. In order to
show that it has complied with these
rules and regulations. every vessel shall
be provided with a proper certificate
from the United States consul or med
must, be s .tisfied that the state
mentS therein contained are true.
Section FIVE provides for a sim
liar observance of these rules.
and a corresponding certiticatefrom the
health officer at the port entry. Section
six authorizes the President of the
United States, in any threatening
emergency, to make known, by procla-
nation, measures which he may think
necessary to meet it, such as suspending
the introduction, by land or sea, of any
dangerous kind of merchandise, or pro-
hibiting entirely the entry into United
States ports of vessels from infected
countries. He shall, at the same time,
convene the national board of health in !
special session, and the measures re-
Yised by the latter. shall, upon approval
by the President, supersede the execu-
tive proclamation. The remaining four
sections provide for the collection by
the consular officers of sanitary stats
tics and information in foreign ports;
for the detail, by the President, of de, !
partnental officers to serve tenn
porarily under the direction of /
the board, without extra compensa
ton; for the appropriation of $5O0,0OO
to meet the expenses incurred iii carry
out the provisions of the bill, such sums !
to be -disbursed under the national
boards direction and by its own disburs
ing agents and for the repeal Of all
acts inconsistent with the terms of this
one. i
A delegation of physicians and mem
bers of Jtate board of health placed the
bill in the hands of the house committee
on public health this afternoon.