The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-06
DISEASE AMONG
FOOD HANDLERS
IS C0MBATTED
The Grand Forks Board of
Health Levels New Attack
on Dangerous Conditions
PREVENT HIRING
OF SUCH PERSONS
Opinion Asked of City Attorney
Question of Registering Certain
Venereal Cases Now Rests With De-
cisiOn of the State Board.
PREVENT HIRING
OF SUCH PERSONS

Employees in the hotels, restaurants
grocery stores. confectionery stores
in fact. any place where foodstuffs are
handled. may be compelled to furnish
affidavits and certificates to the effect
that they are not suffering from any
contagious or infectious diseases
That question was taken up by the
board of health of Grand Forks at
the monthly meeting held Yesterday.
and City Attorney j. B. Wineman has
been asked for an opinion as to the
province of the board in enforcing
such regulation, should it be decided
on.
May Prevent Employment.
While as Yet no complete investiga-
ton of the question has been made.
it has been considered likely that the
board of health would have the pow
er to prevent the employment of such
persons on the plea that they are
dangerous to public health
This regulation. if adopted. would
apply to all places where foodstuffs
are handled, including factories.
bakeries, ice cream parlorS, soda
fountains, etc.
Uncertain as to Course.
The board is vet uncertain as to
what be the proper course to pursue
in bringing about such a regulation.
The opinion of the city attorney will
be filed at the next monthly meeting
of the board and the question will be
more fully considered at that time.
Question of Confidential Reports.
Until the state board of health takes
action on the question of designating
certain diseases as contagious and in
fection, it is not probable that any
further steps will be taken in connec-
ton with the movement to procure
reports from physicians of all such
cases.
The resolution passed by the city
board of health yesterday asks the
state board to designate certain ven-
ereal diseases as contagious, the reso-
luton following:
Resolved, that it is the sense of
the Board of Health of the City Of
Grand Forks. that certain venereal
diseases be designated as contagious
and infectious. and that the state
board of health be requested to in
clude such venereal diseases in the list
of contagious and infectious diseases
by them and that reports of such
given by the city attorney on the pow
er and the authority of the board to
compel physicians to report these dis
eases. The question is largely one of
whether or not the diseases will be
classified as suggested, physicians
holding that knowledge of such cases
is in the light of confidential relations.
1t is proposed that the records shall
not be public, except that shall be
used by the health officials.
Here is the opinion on which the
state board has been asked to act:
I'm response to your request for my
opinion with reference to the power
and authority Of the city board of
health to compel physicians to report
certain venereal diseases under the
head Of infections and contagious dis
eases will state that Section 275 OF
the revised codes of 1905 as amended
by the session laws. of 1913 reads as
follows:
Whenever there shall come to the
knowledge Of any physician or other
typhoid fever or any other dangerous
infectious disease exists within the
Jurisdiction Of any county or city
board of health. he shall Immediately
report to the superintendent Of the
county board of health or to the city
health officer in which ever jurisdic-
tion the case may be, the name and
place of residence, if known, of every
person afflicted with such disease, and
II he Is the attending physician of
such person he shall report not less
than twice each week the condition
of every person so afflicted with the
state of such disease
City Officer to Instruct.
Section 267 of the revised codes as
amended by the session laws of 1918
II sub.diviston B with reference to the
duties OF the board Of health provides