Milford chronicle., 1893-07-21
A PhysloIan.a rIme y TaIk.
To THE MILFORD CHRONICLE
THE ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF A
BOARD OF HEALTH.

-
To THE MILFORD CHRONICLE
THE ORGANIZATION AND WORK OF A
BOARD OF HEALTH.
! While we do not profess to be thoroughly
acquainted with the laws governing the
4 Board OF Health Of our State, we think they
specifically require that the officers of every
town, vill2ge and city in the State shall see
that a Board Of Health is organized therein,
and that the organization shall be effected
annually. The members of this Health
Board may be of such number as the munic-
ipal officers may determine, and they may be
selected wholly or in part from the members
of the town hoard As a rule it would be
vel to add to those elected BY reason Of
special fitness for governing the locality
some others chosen for their special fitness
for and interest IN sanitary work
The members o! the Board Of Health must
organize by the election Of chairman and
clerk, who may or may not be the same per
sons who hold like positions III the Town
Board, but any aud all action taken in organ
izing the Health Board must be matter of
record, and the partial organization must be
completed BY the appointment of a health
othcer, who by virtue Of his appointment be- |
comes a member ofthe Board of Health |
Not until this is done is there any board or |
body authorized TO act as a Board of Health |
for it's upon 'lhe full board as thus consti-
tuted" and upon no other body that the stat |
uce confeIs powers. This fact should be |
clearly understood and borne in mind, as a |
town board, CT village board OF the common
Council OF city cannot act as a Board Of
Health without first organizing as such and
appointing a health officer A further re-
xuiTemeni Of the law is that whenever prac-
ticable the health officer shall be reputable
physician, but if it be necessary so 10 do.
al H. aas- al. Faa. !
Of the Board, may be selected to fill this post.
When Board Of Health is thus properly or
ganized, that fact must be reported to the
State Board of Health, together with the
names and addresses of the officers, and a
similar report must be slade whenever, for
any reason, there IS change Of the health
officer, the object being to maintain a CON
slant relation between the local aud State
Board, that they may be prepared at once to ,
lct together III concert iu case OF emergency
The local board Of health being thus or {
.anized, its work slould he carefully planned
with view to beiUg both compre kensive |
md thorough.-lt should adopt well cou- >
iaered coce oi sanitary ordinances, suited
o the needs Of The locality, and in all Or +
-iuarY circumstances The health officer who
5 tie executive officer of the board, should [
y special resolution be invested with full
overs III the exercises Of which he should
e sustained not only by the board but BY 1
u good citizens Such authority is uecess-
~ IN order that the heath officer may be in 1
position TO act promptly and emciently in q
ase OF emergency. Health boards should
Leaders OF public sentiment in all matters s.
erlain1ng to heslth.-As a part of their
ork slaughter houses and indeed all forms
business that produce or work in any kind
offensive or refuse materials should be
oked after with special care; streets, alleys. a
mes, public places and thoroughfares of ali ! =,
nds should be cleaned; defects Of drainage y
sewerage should be corrected; collections -
stsgnant water should be removed bv
ainage or filling if possibe;th attention of
dividual owners or occupants should be g.
iled To any uusanitary conditions found to a
ist on private premises, and if not cor VA
cted by tue proper PERSONS, such condi-
ms should be corrected for them by the az
an ara co5dobs 81 HeallsAs 4 means Of discovering th
lagos and cities, the health boards should
lvide for systematic surveys, by which
cry mouse III every part Of each such will
e or city shall be visited, thoroughly ex-
lined, and a record of all uusanitarv coudi-
ms shown by such examinations made for
uIe use Such record should embodv
following facts:
'irst-Such designation of the place bv
Get and number that it may be identified
hout the possibility of mistake,
'econd.-A general description of the
misses, whether high or low, dry or damp.
! drained or not, aud facilities for drain
hird.-A general description of the house
ID or brick, in good repair, names of
lers and occupants, and particularly If il
tenement house, whether over-crowded ~.
not. pie
ourth.--T general condition of all out G
dings in regard to cleanliness.
nth h.-Ihe source of the water supply. arc
Xtn-A particular account of all exist T.l
uusanitary conditions such as accumnl- "
Us OF garbage, foul cesspools ,privy-vaults. me-
er full or ia bad condition, and the prox-
if any exists. -.
'venth.-lf possible record Of any form ~, ~
ekness existing at the time of examiua- Phi
or recently prevalent especially if any NJ.
hs have occurred and if the disease has WI
diaTihoeal, dysenteric, OF typhoid yol
ghth.-The recommendations ofthe san Tn,
inspector ~
upon the completion of this lllu
.s,ioI ;sd9 Id, the owns Owner or occupant Of any and
ound q exist, should receive sp,'i5s SPECIFICS tou
@ Reasonable % HflI bat Ifm9s5l sd ,@s G5 s95estqn s6d lite
bed be esela5d1 Eiia w5isH S the sa in s.
irections given have not been carried
ne necessary work should be done 5v d
zeal health board at the expense of the ,
'rty In making such inspections as Is A
suggested, special attention should be
to the condition of boarding houses patti
ig houses and hotels. particularly those r. ;
lower grades, aud if at any time
i0ai diseases prevail, all such estao- Dle
he most Jealous care and INC tEeiT sSrds nSiSs lants
be disiniected daily.-But besides an fhat
ocal boards have an important duty IN
10 newly arrived immigrants who gSE
nuy come from a part of the old u
where contagious disease has pre-
bringing with them more often III their ever
,e than IN their persons, the germs of
iseases. A time therefore when such StrOn
ners are sources Of the greatest dan.
tnat when ihey are uupacking their
and then aid for several days there
:.:3 e :: 3i:. Il " s: 5 3 @ s Z ':: . :.:s: C0N
y have been visitors to such family.
iiy II they have lent help ia the un-
aud arrangement Of the household ROAl
ANY deviation # IN perfect health - u
ewly arrived milg oI il any visitors
should be ya1efn ly and promptly
ns coming from districts known TO
ted with any contagious disease. =