Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1896 — A New Health Law Needed. [ARTICLE]

A New Health Law Needed.

The following circular letter to Dr. M. B. Altar, County Health Officer, from Dr. J. N. Hurty, Secretary of the State Board of Health, is in regard to a matter of great interest to all, and explains itself: Dear Doctor: — . • You aradoubtless aware that our present health law is very imperfect. It is inadequate and not up to the times.. A new one is needed io place Indiana abreast of other States, and to enable the health authorities to serve the people, as they should be served, according to the laws of modern Sanitary Science. These facts have been formally recognized in resolutions, unanimously passed at the last meeting of this Board. This letter is to inform you of our intention to try to better matters, and to ask your aid. A Committee is now studiously at work drawing up the points for a new law. So soon as their work is finished, two prominent lawyers here who have volunteered their services will give the matter legal form; the proposed law will then be printed and distributed to the physicans and papers of the State. This effort is simply to do that which is right. No selfish ends are to be subserved; and everyone will be asked to help, that the common wealth may be benefitted. The first section of the new law will put the present members of the State Board of Health out of office. We will all further declare that we will not be candidates for the new State Board, thus preventing all sneers and silencing uncharitable criticisms. In the interests of good gdvernment, we shall also reoommend to the appointing power that no applicant for appointment on any of the new boards to be controlled by the proposed law shall be considered, as it is certainly true that this office should seek the man.

I give you an outline of some of the features of the new law:— The new State Board of Health shall consist of seven members, four of them to be physicians, one lawyer, one engineer, one business man. Appointed by the Governor. No pay. Only expenses paid. Meet each quarter. Dudes and powers to be carefully defined. The idea in associating hese laymen with the physicians in the constitution of the Board is to make it as representive as jossible of all who are interested in the public health. Their advice and co-operation would manifestly be very useful to the medical members; as, for example, has >een instructively illustrated by he practical workings and results of the New York State law. State Health Commissioner.— Shall be appointed by- the Board. Shall be a capable physician who tas made a speciality of the branch of medicine that is known as Sanitary Science and Hygiene. He shall be experienced in Sanitary Chemistry and Bacteriology. Shall be proficient in Vital Statistics. Term four years. Shall be the Secretory and Executive Officer of the Board. Salary 13000.00. Duties and powers to be carefully defined. A Sanitary Laboratory shall be established where all necessary sanitary analyses and bacteriological examinations and all health work may be done for the people without charge. A modern Health Board without a sanitary laboratory in charge of skilled and learned specialists would almost be helpless. Certainly it would be an anachronism. County Health Board.—Shall consist of two physicians and a lawyer or business man. Appointed by the Commissioners. One of the physicians to be made Secretary and County Health Officer. Shall meet once a month. Secretary to be paid $lO. per year for each 1000 of population except in counties of over 100,000; salary in these not to exceed SIOOO. The other two members to receive nc salary. - Expenses paid by tht County. Duties and powers tc be carefully defined.

These outlines are, of course, incomplete. They are thus presented now merely to give you an understanding of the plan and to enlist you in the cause. Your thoughts and suggestions on the subjects are most earnestly solicited. All students of preventive medicine can demonstrate to the laymen that several millions of dollars are wasted annually in Indiana in diseases and deaths that need not have been. These millions can be saved, and with them the heartaches that attend this preventable sickness and death, if we but had a proper health law, enforced by good men. We hope that you will promise your aid, and that you will heartily put forth every effort to further the cause. We ask you to have this letter published in your local paper and request the editor to give the matter his serious attention and kind assistance. Also make it known that all citizens are urged to join in this offort to do something that is not only good for the greatest number but good for all. Please let us hear from you. Very respectfully yours, I. N. Hubty, Secretary.