Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-05-21
The Local Board of Health Law.

late Legislature empowering the Commits
sioners of each county in the State to act as
local Board of Health:
An Act entitled an Act supplementary to
an Act passed at the January Session OF
1890, chapter ABS, entitled an Act to re.
peal an Act passed at the January Session
of the General Assembly of Maryland,
1874, chapter 200, entitled can Act to es-
tablish a State Board of Health, and to
re.enact in lieu thereof the following"
and to provide more efficient means for
promoting the public health in this State.
SECTION l. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of Maryland, That whenever the
State Board of Health shall have cause to
believe that there is danger of cholera, small
pox, or other dangerous or infectious disease
invading this State or country, it shall be
the duty OF the said Board to take such ac-
ton and adopt and enforce such rules and
regulations as it may deem necessary to
prevent the introduction or spread of such
infectious or dangerous disease within this
State and any person or persons, or cor
poration, refusing or neglecting to obey such
rules and regulations, shall be deemed gull
ty of a misdemeanor, and shall upon con-
viction thereof in Court Of competent
Jurisdiction, be fined not less than fifty dol
lars nor exceeding five hundred dollars for
every such offence.
SEC. g And be it enacted, That the Board
of County Commissioners of the several
counties in this State shall, er.o6icao, consti-
tute local Board of Health for their re-
spective counties, and shall have and exer.
else all the duties of Board of Health as
provided in this Act, except in cases where
the charter Of any city or town in the State
contains provisions inconsistent Herewith.
Sec. 3. And be it enacted, That such local
Boards of Health shall each appoint an
nually in the month of May, or as soon
thereafter as practicable, u county health
officer, who shall be well educated physi-
clan and who by virtue OF such appoint
ment shall be the Secretary of such Board
of Health, and its executive officer Pro-
vided, that such health officer, SO appointed,
shall, if required by the Board OF County
Commissioners, render such medical and
surgical services as may be needed by per-
sons confined in the county Jail, or other
county institutions.
SEC a. And be it enacted, That the local
Board of Health of each county shall meet
semi-annually in the month Of May and Oc-
tober, and as much oltener as they may
deem necessary, and may adopt all needful
rules and regulations for the government of
their respec tive bodies, subject to the pro-
visions of this Act; they shall establish the
salaries OF their respective health officers,
and shall regulate all fees and charges in
connection with their own regulations; they
shall act in conjunction with the State Board
of HEALTH and report to the said Boasd such
facts in reference TO the sanitary condition
of their respective caunties as they may
deem important or necessary
SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That such local
Boards of Health shall take cognizance of
all unhealthy nuisances whiting the limits
OF their sanitary jurisdiction, and any per-
son or persons, or corporation, refusing or
neglecting after due notice, to comply with
the requirements of said Board in this re-
spect shall be liable to penalty notexceed
ing fifty dollars. All questions arising be
tween local Boards as to jurisdiction or
their relative duty in the abatement Of any
particular nuisance shall be referred to the
State Board of Health for settlement.
SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That it shall
be the duty of every county health officer,
Immediately after his appointment, TO trans
nit to the Secretary Of the State Board of
Health his full name and postollice address !;
he shall keep an accurate record OF the pro
ceedings of the local Board of Health of
which he is the Secretary, as well ms his
own official acts, and furnish copy thereof
annually, in the month Of October 10 the
Secretary OF the State Board Of Health, to-
gether with such other information in re-
gard TO the sanitary condition of his county
as he may deem interesting or valuable for
publication in the biennial report of the
State Board of Health.
SEC. Z. And be it enacted That whenever
any local or county health odlcer shall re-
ceive reliable notice, or shall otherwise have
reason to believe that there Is within the
limits of his sanitary jurisdiction case of
cholera, smallpox, or other disease danger
| Gus to the public health, he shall immedi-
ately investigate the matter, and take all
| proper steps for the restriction or suppress
| sion of such disease or diseases. He shall
promptly notify the Secretary of the State
Board of Health of the existence Of any
epidemic or unusual sickness or mortality
that may come to his knowledge, within
his own sanitary jurisdiction or contiguous
thereto and when thus informed, il shall
he the duty of the Secretary Of the State
Board of Health to cooperate with and aid
| the local health authorities in making scien
tlic and practical investigations into the
cause or causes of any existing disease, or
in devisng the most efficient means for its
restriction or suppression, or Tor the eXclu-
sion of any threatened disease; and TO this
end he may exercise all the powers OF the
| State Board of Health.
SEC. s. And be it enacted, That all the
provisions of the Act of eighteen hundred
and eighty chapter four hundred and thirty
eight, to which this is II supplement, not in
consistent with the provisions of this Act,
are hereby re-enacted and declared TO be in
iull force and effect.
SEC. o. Aud he it enacted That this Act
shall take etfet from the date OF Its passage.