Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-24

gan yesterday morning and lasted through
the day with demonstrations at the state
laboratory of hygiene, under the superVis-
ION OF Director DIR. j, ii. Einsley, in the
evening. The attendance is very crafty
ing and all of the papers were excellent
The interest in the papers may be esti-
mated by the discussion which followed
them, of which there was an unusual
amount. With the exception of one pa
per, the author of which was absent, all
of the crowded programme was carried
out.
The sessions continue to-day and close
with this evenings work in the labora-
tory.
MORNING SESSION.
The morning session opened at $3.50 with
Dr. c. S. Caverly of Rutland presiding.
W. l.. Burnap was the first on the pro
gramme and read paper on The Powers
and Responsibilities of Health Officers.
1t was couchcd in legal terms and was
very lengthy article. He said that the
subject he had in hand was one OF great
interest to both health officers and to the
general public, but that he thought the
public was in need OF being stirred up in
regard to the matter. lie dealt with the
troubles that the health board had in per-
forming their various duties because of
the opinion held by many that their prop
erty was their own and they had a right
y
that In a broad sense 1t was the right Of
the owner to do he wished with his
property and it was also true that the
Legislature could not prevent him from
doing what he wished long as 1t did
not work injury TO the public. The natur-
al right is not absolute, however, and
yields when the public demands. When
action on the part of the owner nterferes
with the health of the community his
right ceases. He said the state board of
health had no common law powers but
that they could do just what the statute
permitted and no more. He thought it
was the duty of the health board to in
form themselves In regard to all facts
relating to the public health. The field is
diligent ard faithful study of everything
portant of all subjects to be discussed n
/ this connection is the scope of the pow crs
of the board Their powers are limited 10
epidemic and contagious diseases. They
have no legislative powers but are simply
an administrative body. No regulation
can he made by them that does not have
general application to epidemic and
conta gious diseases. He said that the du-
ties of the local health boards differed
materially from those Of the state board
The local board are directed to investigate
the causes and sources Of nuisances and
to abate them The local board should al
so act in regard TO the Introduction of
contagious diseases.
At the close Of Mr. BurnaD's paper a
discussion was made by ]. e. Cushman.
| He spoke of the limited powers of the
state board and thought that some mea ms
should be taken at the next session of the
Legislature to have the statute remedied
so that they could add to their very
efficient work. He thought that further
powers should be granted in regard to
nuislnces, quarantine and autopsy. Dr.
John Gibson of Nergenncs also discussed
the paper at length. He spoke of the in
dividual rights of property owners and
the troubles experienced by health Off
GERS in their work. He thought that the
police powers of the health officers should
be increased so that they could enforce
their orders. He said hat the laws re-
lating to the duties of the State board
and health officers should be revised. Fur
Their discussion of the paper was reserved
until o'clock
II. L. Stilson of Bennington read a
strong and interesting paper on "quarant-
ing-the duty of the people TO the patient
and to the attending physician He said
that the growth of public sentiment in IA
vor of quarantine had been great in the
past eight years. Whereas in the first
place the law was msunders TODD. he peo-
pie have now become familiar With 1t and
demand from the health officer that they
be protected from infection. He discussed
the matter In two phases. The first was
the tax imposed upon the quarantined
household ana the second the duty OF the
puollc To the people Guaranteed. The
people VINO are quarantlhed are separated
from the world ana thus their means of
support are taken away. 1t Is the duty OF
the pubic to see that the family quaran-
tined IS supplied with food and medical
attendance. Arrangements with this IN
view should be made by the health officer
with the other town authorities. lie
dwelt strongly upon the fact that the
physician should be paid for his work by
the city, village or town in cases where
the FAMILY OF the SICK were in destitute
ed upon to take charge OF an infectious
utN,ase - ouiiseu 70 sNI up d larse par,
80 ,a y, ~. " - ai a'.u
~ ~ t' ~ ,,-. ~ 'e'i''uu' . eeu
'fnt, he Ia ~ ia, L'au a,iS .iouo''
,i.t re ms VI $500 ~ i',e iis t.i'l d.
',,t .,'o' - VIZ pVo
NV 90 49, ~, ~ ~ me- we 'ee u!a ,iol.
VIZ 10 III $50 VIC ,iIlsuIIuoi s'a
"U w, oo icsa anu !ees iiepueh, 49,
nc P"Poi ""S us "9Se' ~ ~ - w
v ech " ID A"uol, anu ~, ~ ~ Trout 81
atSIUul!, ho'" asreeG nearby VIII
MI otilsoi''
me session cioseo by paper by CITY
CIerk Charles r.; Alien ON the lmpor'
lance OF more fuli ana correct returns OF
Vital STATISTICS II was an article con
tanning nuch 'aiuapie Information loi
icai.H oiiccis anu was iu'i! appIecl"'eo
by those present AZ uea!t win inc rec
, ords tor the past ~ years III regard &c
births' marriases anu deaths II sNoWec
the incoinpictcieSs VI the system employ