The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-29
"HEALTH DAY" To
PREVENT DISEASE
White Wants Buildings Disinfect-
ed Once q Year.
INTRODUCES SUCH A BILL
FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER
MADE LEGAL HOLIDAY.

Health day." a new legal holiday. on
which every person in Utah must clean
up and disinfect homes and public
buildings, is created in a bin intro
aueed in the house yesterday by Rep
fesentative William e. White OF Piute
county.
I believe this measure will have
a great effect in preventing disease and
IN educating the people along sanitary
mes 5e explained Mr.. White.
The bill has the approval of a num-
per OF physicians and others who sa W
II before 1t was introduced. In fuIl
1t is as follows:
An act, making the first Monday in e,c-
9 Igoer a legal holiday, under the name of
filealth day. providing for proclama ton
pulidlngs compulsory, fixing penalty for
laAure 10 disinfect, defining duties Of
state 6oard of health, town trustees. CITY
sloners in relation thereto an6 nai[ino
appropriation therefor
BE. re 1t enacted by the legislature of the
Section 1. The first Monday in October
IS hereby made legal holiday. to be
known as Health DAY
Sec 2 The governor Shall each wear
lSoue a proclamation recommending the
observance of Health day by such acts
ana in such manner in addition In the
mandatory provisions of this act as 10
may deem wise for the protection of the
heaIth OF the people of this state.
General Cleanup Required.
Sec: 3. The owner. or in case of leased
premises, then the lessee in possession of
artroe11+ 80 umelLiHs mouse. or hVlnS
boarding house, church. school house
theatre rooming house, or dancing hall
IN active use, shall thoroughly disinfect
the same on said Health day with the
dlsllfectants and in the manner pre-
Scrlped by the state board of health as
hereinafter provided, and wilful failure
or refusal upon the part of anv said
owner or lessee to comply with The nrO-
VISIONS OF this section is hereby made
mlsdemeanor, punishable by fine not ex-
ceedlng 500, but the provisions of this
act shall not interfere with any Ordinances
OF OF any county, city, or town. or the rules
times.
Sec. 4. It is hereby made the dutv of
the state board of health to determine
the nature and kind of disinfectants to
De used on said Health day. having due
regard to efficiency and cheapness. pre-
scribe reasonable rules and regulations
for their proper use and have the same
printed and distributed to the people in
best.
Sec 5. 1t is hereby made the duty of
the board of trustees or city council of
every incorporated town or citV and of
every board of county commissioners to
furnish, free of charge. the disinfectantA
prescribed by the state board of health
Tor use on said Health day. to all per
sons applying for same upon their state
ment that they are financially unable to
procure them.
Sec. s. The sum of $780, or so much
thereof as may be necessary. is hereby
appropriated to meet the expense of pub
LEGATION and distribution of rules pre-
scribed by state board of health regulat-
ing the use of disinfectants hereinbefore
provided for
The bill was referred to the commit
tee on public health.
After adjournment Mr.. White said in
explanation of his bill:
White Explains His Bill.
''The necessity for some disinfectant |
law was suggested by an unfortunate /
of a man from a remote /
part of this state. who moved his fam |
lily to city to educate his two chill /
dren. He rented a house, and shortly /
after moving in both children We're |
taken down with diphtheria, and in a |
short time both died. An investigation /
the family occupying the house be- 1
fore.
IF a murderer had taken the lives of
those children the whole state would /
have been afiame, but when done by
disease, a complacent people lay it to /
the inscrutable ways of providence in
stead of peoples criminal neglect and
carelessneSs
1T may be said that we have holt
days enough now, but if we can give
one day to labor, one to patriotism and |
One to decorating graves, it would
seem that we could afford one day in
the year devoted to the health and
safety of people.
General Health Demands It.
''To make disinfection effective it
should be done by all at the same time.
Any other method is simply patch
work. and it must be compulsory be-
,ause it is the careless negligence
IF a few who endanger the health OF
he many, and you can reach that class
)nly by force. It may be claimed that
[ IS radical, but its requirements are
lot onerous.
1T may be said that it covers a new
md untried field. That is true of every
eform and Improvement. and surely
he people of Utah are compelled bv
10 law or rule of ethics to trail at the
reels of progress.
There is no doubt as to the autflor
ty of state, under its police power
Exercised in behalf of the health and Il
afety of its people, to pass such a Law! .
md enforce it, and unless there was
violence of some Interior motive in the
nactment of such a law, a court
you'd not even inquire into its wisdom
II efficiency.
Dread diseases are prevalent in the :
tate. and towns and cities are being
laced under quarantine: hundreds are 5
and untold hundreds more !
viii suffer, and it is high time for
ne people to brush sentiment. and ven
ration for the antiquated aside. and
ct for the common safety Of the peo-
lie.
Il believe the enactment of this pro-
osed measure would be of untold
eneht to the people"
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