Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-02
STATE BOARD OF HEAIru
Towns Urged to Choox. r,
Health VI

.na' the greatest benefit may be derived
,.oh lis endeavors to improve the health CON.
unions OF the State. the State Roard =.
A'e"i'h earnestly desires thatn each town.
espuciaiiy II OF any considerable size. there
sna, DC formed local. or town hoard ~
eSih' through cooperation with these 10.
.r heaith boards, and only in this way. can
Tue greatest good to the greatest number. he
secured. In every town, even in the ANAL.
et rural village, there are too manv cause.
oI preventable disease, and too manv ca.es y,
Pr p, sickness resulting tberefrom
through the influence of local board mncb
VI TINS preventsble disease nav be avoided
sno through these local organizations the
otate BOARD will be able to direct its endeav
oi' III those directions where they are the
most needed '"e
onuer the law towns are authorized to
e"oose nealth committee, or health officer.
VI instead OF these, they may choose a board
VI health. 1t is not Indifferent which is
'"1seh as VIII De seen by referring to the law.
1t is provided in chapter IA, section "a If
the revised statutes that:
"a town at its annual meetinv NOV o,,.s.
.n committee of not less than three nor more
-. nine, or enc person to be a health officer: who
t ,ns expense OF their town shall remove all filth
| III.
ehoangers the life or health of any inhabitant and
may require the owner or occupant. whea they think
other source of filth" VI
or IN accordance with chapter IA. sec. "a ::
"a town may choose a board of health of not Ies,
than three nor more than nine persons who .baU
nave all the powers, and be subject to ali the duties
restrietions, liabilities and penalties Of the munich.
PAL siicers' ana OF the health committee or officer
IL VIII be noticed that the powers and du-
no e
more extensive than are those OF the health
committee. or health officer. The duties of
the health committee, ur health officer, are
limited to simply the removal of filth, while
the jurisdiction of the board of health ex-
tends. as we'll, to the many other important
means and measures for conserving the pub
tic health; for instance, to the control and
| restriction Of contagious diseases.
"1f any town, at its annual meeting, omits to
choose such committee officer, the municipal
ON ,ers shall be committee and have all their pow.
ers ana perform their duties."-( Revised Statutes,
chap. II. sec. 15.)
Thus in case a town neglects to choose a
health committee, the municipal officers are
constituted an ez ofcio health committee.
The disadvantages of this system, which has
been the prevailing one in our State, are that
| the municipal officers are selected for their
special fitness for other duties rather than for
those of caring for the health interests of the
| town, ard consequently the maxim that,
"Public health is public wealth." receives in
| town affairs no recognition BETTING its i'm
| portance.
The municipal officers and citizens of the
various towns are therefore urgently requested
by the State Board of Health to consider this
matter of choosing, at this coming spring
election, an Independent board of health.
Persons should be chosen to this office on &C.
count OF special fitness, and particularly for
their intelligence in sanitary matter. and for
the interest which they have shown in such
work. One member at least should be phy-
stefan when he can be obtained 1t is though,
that the smallest number permissible by law
is usually better than larger number, but in
some OF the larger towns it might be expe-
dent to have five members.
clowns may establish bylaws for the preservation
OF health and for protection against infectious dis
| eases."-Revised Statutes, chap. Il, sec. SO.
To increase the effectiveness of the local
health organization a set of rules and regula.
tions, adapted to the needs of the town
should be drawn up by the board after their
election; and to give these the force of law,
these rules must be adopted as bylaws by the
town in open town meeting, or in case of
cities, by the city council.
Any help that can be rendered in this mat
ter will be gladly given bv the State Board
of Health, and copies of ''Rules and ReRula-
tons for Local Boards of Health" will be
| forwarded whenever needed
A. G. YOUNG, N. D., Secretary.