The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-12-28
Health Board to Introduce
Bill Providing a New
Sanitary Code.
TO ENFORCE ALL LAWS.
VIII Appoint Commissioners For
Every City, Hamlet and County
in the State.

Indianapolis, Dec. 2S.-The state
board of health has prepared and will
cause to be introduced in the next gen
eral assembly a new public health bill.
providing for the regulation of the
public health of the state the enforce
ment of public health rules and laws
promulgated by the state board of
health, and supplanting the antiquated
public health law of 1891. the only law
that now obtains. This new law is
supposed to incorporate the latest hy-
genie and scientific public health ideas
and is thought to be very much of an
Improvement over the present law. or
rather, almost lack of law The bill
was given out by DR.. J. y. Hurty, sec
retary of the state board of health, to-
day
The bill after providing for the coll
lection of statistics by the state board,
provides for a gradation of health Of
ficers, starting with the state board of
health as the superior board and run
ming down through the county, city and
town boards of health and the county
city and town public health commits
sfoners.
The state board of health remains
practically as it is now. In soms re-
spects its powers are enlarged so that
the board can make the existing pub
lie health laws effective. In general
this board is not changed however.
Entire Change in Make-Up.
An entire change is made in the
makeup of the county board of health
At present the county commissioners
serve as the county board Of health
Under the new law, the county com
missioners will have nothing TO do with
the public health A county com
missioner is provided for. such of
fers to have charge of the work in
the county. outside the cities and
towns. This county health officer is
to be appointed by the circuit Judge.
and, serving a term of four years, he
shall keep his office at the county
seat Each health commissioner is to
give bond, obey and enforce the health
laws of the state, collect vital statis-
tics. appoint deputies who serve with
out pay. All expenses incurred in the
enforcement of the laws or rules are
to be paid out of the health appropria-
tion of the county council
Section of the new bill provides for
the cities-a bipartisan board Of three
commissioners appointed by the mayor
to serve four years each, after the ro-
tation has once commenced. The three
are to elect one of their number sec
retary within five days after their ap-
pointment. They are to receive q
salary of not more than $500 a year
and shall have charge Of all matters re-
lating to the public health and the en-
forcement of the health laws anC
ordinances: the city hospital, city chari-
ties city dispensary, etc. They are tC
meet at least one a. month, discuss the
5 state Of the city's health; have power
to condemn, close and abate all dis
eases or plague causing conditions; tC
: condemn and abate nuisances causi
tive of disease and take reasonable ac
: tion to prevent epidemics."
f Officers Must BE Physicians.
The town boards of health are to b,
: the boards of health. under the pro
I posed law.
5 All health officers are to be license,
physicians.
f County health commissioners are t.
I be paid two cents per annum per caplti
for each citizen in the county. Cit.
health officers are to be paid in ac
cordance with the class to which the.
t belong. and the classification is mad
7 in line with that of the cities and town
J. bill The provision as to the pay fol
e lows
: Cities of the first class shall pa.
= their health officer $4,000 per annun
i which may be increased to $4,000 b.
6 ordinance. Cities of the second elias
t shall pay their officer not less thal
= $3.50 per annum. Cities of the thir
s and fourth class shall pay their heaIt
officers no less than $500 per annun
Il Provision is made that the city coun
e ellis of the first, second. third an
= fourth class cities can increase tn
n salaries and require more time TO b
: spent in the work. Towns are to pa
r their health officers not less than
d cents per annum per capita, the salar
: in no case to be less than $40 a year.