The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-05
FOR A STATE BOARD.
THE MOVEMENT FOR LEGISLATION
ON HEALTH MATTHRs.

'
ON HEALTH MATTERs.
The Establishment OF State Board Of
Health to Be Brought Before the
Next General Assembly-A Confer
encs With the North Carolina Au-
thorities as TO the Best Means to
secure the Organization.
The necessity for a state board Of health
in Georgia is more pressing than ever In
view Of the fact that cholera is threatening
an invasion. Gov. Northen favors a board,
as the interview in yesterdays MORNING
News shows. The physicians Of Savannah
agree with the governor that the legislature
should make provision for such All orgeni-
cation in order that in time OF need there
be uniform and concentrated action in all
parts Of the state. No doubt bill pro-
viding for a state board of health will be
offered in the next legislature by Chatham's
representatives.
1t is said that Georgia and Virginia are
the only southern coast states that have no
state boards Of health. There was a state
board in existence in Georgia at one time,
but &c died from eunui and neglect after a
little more than years existence. l. was
put in practical operation Aug. l, 1875, and
made its last report to Gov. Colquitt Jan.
H. 1877, which report was taken up nearly
altogether with Savaunah's yellow fever
epidemic Of 1875 DR.. J. g. Thomas of
this city was president and DR.. V. H. ITALIA
ferro oe Atlanta secretary.
No attention was paid by the legislatures,
il is said, to the boards request for appro-
prlations and that perhaps is the principal
reason to be advanced for its being num-
bsred in the past history Of Georgia.
ONE PLAN PROPOSED.
DR.. j. Z. LeHardy, medical director OF
the Citizens Sanitary Association III speak
ing to the MORNING News some time ago
on the subject said: Il tried three times to
get proper state board OF health es .ablishd
in Georgia, but the scheme always failed
for some reason or another. Ny idea was
to have the state board composed of a com
missioner, who would DO the head, and Sec
rotary, these to be assisted by a member in
each congressional district, VINO in turn
would be assisted by three members in each
county, two of whom SHOULD be physicians
The county board would make reports to
the congressional representative, who would
forward them TO the commissioner. This
would have given Georgia a thoroughly
systematized board OF health, which could
be operated at a cost OF fow thousand doll
lars year.
"a bill containing this scheme, l be-
lieye, passed the Senate, out was defeated
IN the House Somebody told Gov. Brown
that If the measure became q law the board
OF health would take all the convicts away
from him to use them Ia the sanitary work
Of the state, aud he promptly went to the
legislature and sad: Boys, hands of , and
the boys kept their hands off and we haven't
got any state board of health"
THE NORTH CAROLINA BOARD.
North Carolina has successful state
board of health. The North Carolina law
provides that there shall be an auxiliary
board OF health in each county in the state,
the boards to be composed Of the physicians
who shall have complied with the laws of
the state in regard to the practice of medi-
cine and surgery, or have diploma from a
regular medical college. the mayor of the
county town, chairman Of the board OF
county commissioners, and the city surgeon,
when there is suoh an officer, other wise
the county surveyor.
The chairman OF the county commission
ers has to issue call for meeting Of all
those. From this number one physician
shall be chosen by ballot, to serve two
years with the title Of superintendent of
health.
The law requires that the meeting for the
election of superintendent OF health shall
be held on the first Monday in September
and an election held every two years there
after. IL the time appointed by law for the
election OF the successor of an incumbent
shall pass without meeting having been
held. it would be equivalent to the re-eIec-
tion of that incumbent If printed notice of
the meeting had been advertised, other wise
the Office should be- considered vacant and a
meeting callsd to elect superintendent to
I'LL the uuexpred term.
THE TNY Mn OrTApANrrzr
Inland quarantine is under the control Of
the county superintendent of health, who,
acting by the advice Of the local board, sees
that diseases dangerous to the public health,
viz: smallpox, scarlet fever, yellow fever
aad cholera, are properly quarantined or
isolated at the expense OF the city, or town,
or county In which they occur
The salary Of the superintendent OF health,
1t is provided, shall be such sum as the county
commissioners deem just and proper for his
services as physician 20 the public, chari-
table and penal institutions Of the county,
and is paid out Of the county treasury upon
proper vouchers. The salaries paid by the
counties and towns to their superntendents
of health range from $3.50 to 500.
A movement TO bring the matter of a
state board before the next legislature was
discussed by the Citizens Sanitary Associa-
ton couple Of months ago. The Bruins
wick health authorities have invited the
cooperation Of the sanitary association in
the effort, and a conference has been pro-
posed with the North Carolina authorities
with view 60 discussing the best means to
bring the matter before the legislature.
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THE RIVER AND HARBOa.