The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-10-02

office OF the Seer etary OF the Common
wealth, and shall proceed, under the
direction of the latter officer, to deter
mine by lot which Of them shall serve
for the respective terms of two, four
and six years. Before entering upon
the duties of the office they shall take
the oath prescribed for State officers by
the Constitution of the State, and shall
file the same in the Office of the Secre-
tary of the Commonwealth, who, upon
receiving the said oath of Office, shall
issue to each certificate of appointment
for his respective term Of office deter
mined as aforesaid; upon receiving
which they shall possess and exercise
the powers, and perform the duties, of
said board as defined in this act. I'm
mediately after having taken the oath
of office, they shall organize by elect
ing one of their number to be presi-
dent, and by appointing proper per-
son, who shall be a physician of good
standing, of not less than ten years
professional experience, and graduate
of a legally constituted medical col
lege, to be secretary of said board, who
shall hold his appointment until re-
moved by the appointment of his sue
cessor or otherwise. The board may
elect one of its own members secreta
ry, in which case the vacancy thus Gre.
ated shall be filled by the Governor in
the same manner as vacancy caused
in any other way The president shall
be elected annually. No member of
the board except the secretary shall, as
such, receive any salary; but the actual
travelling and other expenses of any
member, while engaged on the actual
duties of the board, shall be allowed
and paid on presentation TO and ap-
proval by the Auditor General of an
itemized account with vouchers annex.
ed.
SECTION 8. The secretary shall be
the executive officer of the board, and
shall have all the powers and privileges
of member of said board, except in
regard to voting upon matters relating
to his own Office and duties as secreta
ry. He shall receive an annual salary
Of two thousand dollars, which shall
be paid him in the same manner that
salaries of other State officers are paid;
and such necessary expenses as the
Auditor General shall audit, on presen.
tation of an itemized account with
vouchers annexed and the certificate of
the board, shall be allowed him.
SECTION 4. The said board shall
meet at least once every six months,
and may also hold special meetings as
frequently as the proper and efficient
discharge of its duties shall require, in
the capitol building at Harrisburg (un-
less otherwise ordered), and the rules
or bylaws of the board shall provide
for the giving of proper and timely no.
tice of all such meetings to every mem
ber of the board. The Secretary of
Internal Affairs shall provide and fur
! nish such apartments and stationery as
said board may require in the discharge
of its duties. A majority of the mem
bers of the board shall, at any regular
called or adjourned meeting, organize
and constitute quorum for the trans
action of business.
SECTION S. The State Board of
Health and Vital Statistics shall haye
the general supervision of interests of
the health and lives of the citizens of
the Commonwealth, and shall especial
ly study its vital statistics. 1t shall
make sanitary Investigations and in
quiries respecting the causes of dis
ease and especially of epidemic dis
eases, including those of domestic ami
mails, the sources of mortality, and the
effects of localities, employments, con-
ditions, habits, food, beverages and
medicine, on the health of the people.
1t shall also disseminate information
upon these and similar subjects among
the people. 1t shall, when required by
the Governor or the Legislature, and
at such other times as it deems it i'm
portant, institute sanitary inspections
of public institutions or places through
out the State. 1t shall codify and sug-
gest amendments to the sanitary laws
of the Commonwealth, and shall have
power to enforce such regulations as
will tend to limit the progress of cpl
demic diseases.
SECTION 6. In cities, boroughs, dis
tricts and places having no local board
of health, or in case the sanitary laws
or regulations in places where boards
of health or health officers exist should
be imperative, the State Board of
Health shall have power and authority
to order nuisances, or the cause of any
special disease or mortality, to be abat.
ed and removed, and to enforce quar-
antine regulations, as said board shall
direct.
Any person who shall fail to obey,
or shall violate, such order shall, on
conviction, be sentenced to pay fine
of not more than one hundred dollars
at the discretion of the court.
SECTION 7. 1t shall be the duty of
the State Board of Health and Vital
Statistics to have the general supervi,
sion of the State system of registra-
tion OF births, marriages and deaths,
of prevalent diseases, and of practition-
ers of medicine and surgery, to pre-
pare the necessary methods, forms and
blanks for obtaining and preserving
such records, and to insure the faithful
registration of the same in the several
counties and in the:Central Bureau of
Vital Statistics at the capital of the
State. The said board shall recon-
mend such forms and amendments of
laws as shall be deemed to be necessary
for the thorough organization and eff
cheney of the registration of vital sta
tistics throughout the State. The sec
retary of the State Board of Health
and Vital Statistics shall be the super
intendent of registration of vital sta
tistics; as supervised by said board, the
clerical duties and safe keeping of the
vital statistics thus created shall be
provided for by the Secretary of Inter
nal Affairs, who shall also provide and
furnish such apartments and stationery
as said board shall require in the dis
charge of such duties,
SECTION 8. 1t shall be the duty of
all health officers and boards of health
i'm the State to communicate TO said