The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-15
TIE PUBnIo BGALrH.
Points of the Bill Proposed by the Commit
tee of the Medical Conference.

Points of the Bill Proposed by the Commit
tee of the Medical Conference.
WASHINGTON, Dec 14.-The committee on
federal legislation appointed by the national
ference of State Boards of Health has completed
a bill which embodies the views of the confer
ence as to the best method of preventing the in
PRODUCTION into the United States of cholera and
other diseases dangerous to the public health
The first of the ten sections comprised in the bill
provides for National Board of Health, to con
sist of one member from every State Board of
Health now or hereafter established, to be ap-
pointed by the President and confirmed by the
Senate This differs from the original act in
that it largely increases the membership Of the
board and excludes the army, navy and marine
hospital service and law officers from the Depart
ment of Justice.
The second section of the new bill provides as
did the corresponding section of the original act
for the collection 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 (the board) all authority which is
now, or may hreaftor be, provided by law tor the
control and protection of the public health. 1t
directs the national board to cooperate with
local boards so far as it lawfully may, and all in
the enforcement of the latter's rules and regua-
tions, but also authorizes the national board,
upon direction of the President, to act in the
several States independently, and make and en-
force there its own rules, regardless of local
boards.
The third section relates to regulation of the
marine quarantine service, and authorizes the
national board to frame rules to be observed by
all vessels sailing from foreign ports to ports of
the United States and provides that such rules,
when approved by the President and issued by
the Department of State, shall be enforced by
all consular officers and agents of the United
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 District Court of
the United States and upon conviction shall for
felt to the United States sum to be awarded in
the discretion of the court, not exceeding 81 900,
which shall be a lien upon the vessel In or
der to show that it has compiled with
these rules and regulations every vessel
shall be provided with proper certificate from
tine United States consular or medical officer at
the port of departure, who must be satisfied
that statements therein contained are true
Section PROVIDES TOT q similar observance or
these rules and corresponding certificate from
the health officer at the port of entry.
Section authorizes the President of the
United States, in any threatening emergency to
make known by proclamation the measures
which he may think necessary to meet it. such
suspending the introduction, by land sea,
of any dangerous kind of merchandise or pro-
hibiting entirely the entry into the United
States ports of vessels from the infected coun-
tries. He shall, at the same time, convene the
National Board O Health
the measures devised by the latter shall, upon
approval by the President, supersede tho oxecu
tive proclamation.
The remaining sections provide for collection
by consular officers of sanitary statistics and in
formation in foreign parts: for detail, by tho
President, of departmental officer to serve
temporarily, under the discretion Of the board,
without extra compensation; for an appropria
tion of $500 900 to meet the expenses incurred in
carrying out the provisions of the DILL, such sum
to be disbursed under the national boards di-
Continued on Third Pase.l