Evening journal., 1915-01-19
MORB|D|TY BUREAU
As HEALTH wrinkle
1t and Fumigation Officers
Urged in Bills Presented
to Legislature
CHILD LABOR REPEAL
MEASURE HANDED IN
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL

MEASURE HANDED In
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
DOVER, Del, Jan. 10 With twelve
days remaining before the Legislature
will shut OIL the introduction of new
business, neither branch of the General
Assembly has been burdened with bust
ness thus far. At the close of yesterday
fifty bills were ON the House calendar,
more than one-third of them having
been introduced by Representative
Downward TO amend the State Board of
Health laws. Five bills are ON the SEN
ate calendar. The House already has
passed two bills.
No great public interest seems 10 be
manifested in new legislation, judging
from the few proposed measures that
have found their way here. In all prob
ability there will be deugc of bills
next week, the last for the introduction
of new business, aside from appropria-
tions and claims measures.
Representative Downward yesterday
afternoon introduced a series of bills,
one of which would make Sunday
school and public school teachers guard
ians of the health of their pupils.
The bills were prepared by Dr. A. r.
Frantz, secretary of the State Board of
Health TO amend the laws defining the
duties OF that board The first provides
that the secretary of the State Board of
Health as the registrar of vital statis-
tics, shall In January of each year. pre-
pare an index of All births, deaths and
marriages that occurred during the pre-
Z
alphabetical order and the original index
shall be filed in the Office of the recorder
of deeds in each county, and a duplicate
| index shall be retained by the Board
of Health. For indeXing such records
/ the registrar of vital statistics shall re-
ceiNe five cents for each name recorded.
TO meet the expense of making the in
deX the sum of 5000 Is TO be appro-
priated under the bill The fve-cent
fee for each name indcxed is TO be paid
by the county treasurer of the county OF
which the person whose name is record
ed is resident.
"MOrbidity Bureau"
Another measure presented by
Representative Downward empowers
I the State Board of Health to create a
"morbidity bureau" TO which reports
shall be made by physicians and
teachers of a long list of diseases,
enumerated in the bill, coming under
their observation Any physician who
fails promptly 20 report any of the
enumerated diseases is liable to a
fine up to $50 and revocation of his Ii
cense to practice Public school and
Sunday school teachers, as well as
superintendents of hospitals. and
nurses and midwives are requested TO
report cases coming to their attention
under penalty of the fine mentioned
The Morbidity Bureau shall be under
the direction of the Secretary of the
State Board of Health, who shall re-
ceive a salary 10 be fixed by the
Board, and who shall have the neces.
sary clerical assistance An appro-
priation of $500 a year, TO meet ex'
penses, is provided
FumigatiOn Officers.
A third measure offered by Repre-
sentative Downward provides for the
fumigation of properties or buildings
in which there has been a case of any
disease enumerated in the list requir-
ing quarantine of the premises ~he
bill authorizes the Secretary of the
State Board TO divide the State into
fumigation districts. and to appoint
official fumigators who shall receive
$3.50 for each day of actual service
and 25 cents for each mile he travels
outside the limits of the district fol
which he was appointed while he is
on duty. Cities or towns shall pay tn,
cost of fumigation within their bord
ers when done under the supervision
of the State Board of Health. Tht
bill carries an appropriation of 81 1.2O
to establish the fumigation work.
4 To Save WOman's Property.
Representative Elliott introduced
bill for the relief of Hannah Mar.
Holloway, widow of Thomas Hollo
way, of Wilmington. Her HUSBAND
died, leaving two small houses a
Eighth avenue and Duncan street, AIT
about $3.50 in a savings fund. but h
had made no will He and his wifi
had an impression that after his deaf
the widow would get all the estate
he made no will, il is explained b.
her Mr.. Elliott's bill is to vest tn
title to Mr.. HOlloways property in hi
widow, who is now advanced in years
She will get only one half of the es
tate unless such a measure is passed
the other half going to the State, a
Mr.. and Mrs. Holloway have no chill
dren.
Some other bills for the relief q
widows under similar circumstance
have been passed by previous Legis
latures.
Abolish Child Labor Board.
At the afternoon session of the Sen
ate the two bills to repeal the Del
ware Child Labor Law. and abOlis
the Child Labor Commission. were in
troduced by Senator Furniss, an
were referred to committee on Re
vised Statutes.
New Castle School Elections.
The House passed Representativ
4 Hances bill to amend the law regu
lating elections of members of tn
Board of Education in New Castle
Mr. Hance explained that the bill
would remedy defects in the presen
law, and was satisfactory to New Cas-
tie residents.
Senate and House received a com
munication from Secretary of Stat
Miller to the effect that the Legisla
tors could receive from him free q
charge paper-bound copy of the Re
vised Code.
l. Representative Downward aske
Speaker Grantland for information a