The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-05-10
New Law on Contagious Diseases

The following law, passed at the last
session OF the legislature and approved
by the governor, is sprOpOs at this time.
An act to empower the school direct
ors of the several townships of the COM
monwealth Of Pennsylvania to exercise
the powers Of board Of health in each
township, to make rules and regulations
to prevent the spread of contagious dis
eases, to appoint and fix compensation
of a sanitary agent, and requiring all
praetieing physicians to report TO the
secretary of the board of school directors
IN each township the names and resi-
denees ofall persons coming under their
professional clre afflicted with such
contagious or infectious diseases.
SECTION l. Be it enacted, &c-, That
the school directors Of each township of
the state of Pennsylvania shall, in addi-
ton to the powers vested in them by ex-
isting avs, have full power and author
/ ity 10 make and enforce AL needful
rules aud regulations TO prevent the in
PRODUCTION and spread of contagious or
infectious diseases, by the regulation Of
| intercourse with infected places. by pro-
hibiting from attending any public
school any child or other person belong
| iny to o. res siliissssg with the family OF
any person, or residing in the same
house, in which any person may be
suffering from cholera, smallpox (vari-
ola varioloid), scarlet fever, typhoid
fever, relapsing fever, diphtheria, diph-
thereto Group or membraneOus Group,
or any other contagious disease, and il
shall be the duty of all physicians prac-
ticing within the several townships to
report to the secretary OF such school
board the names aud residences of all
persons coming under their professional
care, afflicted with any of the aforesaid
contagious or infections diseases, within
twenty four hours after the develop
ment of any such disease
SEC. ,. In the case of the prevalence
of any contagious or infectious disease
in any township of this commonwealth,
the board of school directors of such
township shall have power by them
selves, or by sanitary agent to be by
them appointed, to enter at any time
dpOn any premises in the said township
in which there is suspected to be any
contagious or infectious disease, or nuis
ance productive of such disease or de
trimenta to the public health, for th'
purpose of examining the said premise
: and abating any nuisance found there
on detrimental to the public health.
SEC. 3. Before appointing any sani
tary agent to aid in enforcing tn
rules and regulations of the board
as aforesaid, the board shall max
application to the court of common
, pleas of the county in which tn
township is located, or to law judg'
thereof, setting forth particularly tn
, reasons which, in their judgment, max
, the appointment Of such agent neeeS
sary, setting forth also the compensa
!, ton Wnlch the ooatu ueehhS FiOPcA
pay for the services of such sanitar
!. agent, aud if the sad court, or judg
= thereof, shall approve the reasons giVe'
by the said board for the appOintmeu
Ofsuch sanitary agent, and shall also al
prove the compensation deemed proI
er therefor, said bosEd shall have tn
authority to appoint such sanitar
> agent for such term as may be desii
mated by the said court, or judge ther
of,,ihe said compensation TO paid out Z
the school fund Of the respective tOwI
ships.
Approved the lith day Of April, A. !
ar 1899. WILLIAM A. STONE