The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23

probate to court of county commissioners or board of revenue, hospital board, composed of three members shall be 1 created in the following manner. The county commissioners shall elect one member thereof. the county board of health one member and the municipal government of the largest town or city
 In the county one member, each for the term of two years Either of these bodies may refer the nomination to the countv lanti-tuberculosis association where such lorganlzation exists and is actually carry lns on public service against tuberculosis
 The person so chosen shall be of ac-
 knowledged probity, intelligence ana ap- proved interest in. and with knowledge or tuberculosis. They shall serve with out pay.
 sec. fl. TWO or more contiguous eoun- l tles acting through their respective poards or revenue or courts of county commissioners may have a joint tuber. euiosis hospital with the approval of the
 Siaoama tuberculosis commission. Tha | location and plans for said hospital shall
 be such as may be mutually agreed upon
 supJect to the approval of said Alabama lluperculosis commission. In ca SC of such agreement between two contiguous coun-
 ties, the hospital board shall consist of nVe members to be selected in the follow Ing manner. One by each of the boa rds
 
 sioners respectively; one by the board of health of each county respectively, and the fifth member shall be selected by l these four, or in case they be unable to agree, by the Ala bama tuberculosis com l mission. In case of such agreement be- | tween three or more contiguous coun- ties, the hospital board shall consist of one member to be selected by the board of revenue or court of county commissioners Of each Of the counties so agreeing an additional member to be selected from each county by the county board of health, and one member to be selected by the Alabama tuberculosis commission
 All members of hospital board shall hold office for two years, or until their suc- eessors are appointed and qualified They shall serve without pay. In case two or more counties unite to establish and
 maintain such hospital. the cost of es-
 tablishing the same shal, be met by the
 respective counties in proportion to tho total assessed valuation of property in said counties The cost of maintenance
 shall be met by the respective counties laccording to the sum of hospital days
 treatment given to patients from said counties. hospital day shall be "A hours
 residence of every several patient in the hospital, whether treated simultaneously or not. Amounts paid by patients them-
 selves shall be credited to their several. counties.
 Sec. 10. Said hospital boards shall with. In 10 days of their appointment hold an lexecutive session and proceed, after elect ing one of their members as chairman tc elect an executive secretary, who shall, be superintendent of county tuberculosis hospitals. He shall be a physician of
 adequate training who shall have made special study of tuberculosis and be ia :.
 mliar with the approved methods of iden-
 tifying and treating the same. His sal ary and conditions of service shall be arranged by the hospital board In counties whose population does not ex- ceed 5O,000 the superintendent may also | serve as county health officer; provided however, that if he holds both offices he | shall not engage in private practice of medicine; that his salary shall be not less | than $2500 per annum. and he shall em- ploy himself in the defense of public health by watchfulness, by instructing the people concerning hygiene and infec- tion and that he adequately supervise the l hospital. He shall report to the Ala bama tuberculosis commission, and may
 be removed by action of that commits l sion.
 Sec. 16. Said hospital shall not be con | ducted in or in connection with any l public poorhouse.
 l Sec. +. Any county tuberculosis hospi- tai superintendent may receive tubercu- l losis patients in other than incipient stage of the disease from an adjoining county in which no public tuberculosis | hospital has been erected. Provided, that I the board of revenue or court of county | commissioners of county from which such 1 case comes shall guarantee the payment of the cost of treating such patients. All charges for such treatment shall be as- | sessed and fixed by the hospital board with the approval of the Alabama tuber- | culosis commission.
 l Sec IS. It shall be the duty of the board of revenue or court of county com missioners of each county to make suit able provisions for the care and isolation of every indgent case of tuberculosis other than in an incipient stage, either | by providing a tuberculosis hospital with
 in the county or by sending such patient | to the nearest availa ble hospital within the state and paying the cost thereof at l the price fixed by the hospital board of such hospital. Provided that in case of disagreement as to what the price should be an appeal shall lie to the Alabama tuberculosis commission, whose judgment l shall be final.
 Sec. 19. Whenever the population of the l county includes more than 25 per cent | negroes, adequate provision shall be made l for members of that race under the same l management, but in a distinct and sepa- rate section of the hospital or in a sepa- rate building.
 sec. 2u. Any hospital established under
 this act shall be supported as far as pos sible by fees charged to patients to the | amount of per capita cost of mainte- nance But whenever a sufferer from tu- berculosis, or those responsible for his support, have not the means to pay so | much, the board shall accept less, and when patient. or those responsible for his support, shall make oath before the 1 hospital board of inability to pay, the l said patient may be received without pay ! on the certificate of the hospital board of such inability. Provided that no patient shall be excluded on account of indi- gence and provided further that no diff I ference shall be made between the paying and non-paying patients, in the allotting of beds. food and other benefits. Sec. 2l. All bills for the expense of maintenance of said hospital shall be paid by the court of county commissioners. or board of revenue, as other bills contracted by said board are paid on certificate of the respective hospital boards. Approved September 26, 1915. Official:
 JOHN PURIFOY,
 Secretary of State.