There are some accounts which properly belong in the year's expenses, not included in the above statement, the bills therefor not having as yet received examination at the hauds of your committee.

In conclusion, I do not know that I can do better than reiterate in substance what was said in closing my report of last year. Much good work has been done by local boards of health and health officers, or at their suggestion during the year just ended; probably more than ever before in the same space of time in this state. While congratulating the people on this fact, and on the general good health that has been the rule through the year, I must still call attention to the fact that more and better work still remains to be done, that constant vigilance is the price of continued immunity from contagious disease, no less than the price of political liberty and of all the blessings enjoyed by a free people living under their own government. No earthly blessing is comparable to that of good health; without this many other advantages lose a large part of their value, but medical science is constantly showing us that the possession of this great boon is largely dependent upon ourselves. If knowing that contagious disease is approaching us, or that it has effected a lodgment among us, we sit down and lament the mysterious dealings of Providence, but do nothing for our own safety or that of those dear to us and dependent upon

Secretary's Report.

us, we shall surely suffer in ourselves or in them, and deservedly. On the other hand it is true in dealing with many forms of sickness as in other affairs of life, that Providence helps those that endeavor to help themselves, or to quote the saying of the first Napoleon: "Providence is frequently observed to be on the side having the heaviest artillery," and the more so if the artillery be well directed and skilfully served. Let us, then, make use of the knowledge that Providence, through the medium of sanitary science, has placed in our hands; having done this to the best of our ability, we shall have earned the right to call on Providence for further help, but it may well be that we shall find our prayers answered even before they are offered up.

I cannot close this report without again acknowledging the continued and valued assistance of Prof. T. W. Chittenden, who has been associated with me in office work for several years, and by whom many of the details of the work of the office have been efficiently performed during the year covered by this report.

Very respectfully,

J. T. REEVE, M. D.,

APPLETON, Wis., October 31, 1888.

Secretary.

6-B. H.

Laws Relating to the Public Health.

LAWS RELATING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

COMPILED BY DIRECTION OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH FOR THE USE OF LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS AND HEALTH OFFICERS.

In response to inquiries from health officers and members of local boards of health for information with regard to the health laws of the state, and in view of the facts that sundry more or less important changes in, and additions, to those laws have been made since the revision of the statutes in 1878, and that many of these changes and additions are scattered through the several volumes of general laws printed since that date, thus being practically inaccessible to numerous officers, to whom, nevertheless, some knowledge of them is essential for the proper discharge of the duties committed to their hands, the State Board of Health has prepared the following summary.

It embodies, 1st, the provisions of law relating to the State Board of Health, so far as these concern or affect local boards or the performance of the work of such boards; 2d, the law respecting the organization of local boards and the appointment of their executive officers, together with the sections of the revised statutes which define their powers; 3d, general provisions of law bearing directly or indirectly on matters relating to the public health; 4th, such other provisions and requirements as have interest and value in connection with health laws or the organization and work of the boards of health.

Laws Relating to the Public Health.

OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The sections of the revised statutes that refer specially to the State Board of Health are those numbered 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, 1408, 1409, and 1410. The larger part of these relate to the organization of the board; the following define the duties and powers of the board in part:

SECTION 1407. The board shall have a general supervision throughout the state of the interests of the health and life of citizens, and shall especially study the vital statistics of the state, and endeavor to put the same to intelligent and profitable use. They shall make sanitary investigations and inquiries respecting the cause of disease, especially epidemics, the causes of mortality, and the effects of localities, employments, conditions, habits, and circumstances, and shall diffuse such information as they may deem proper, They shall voluntarily, or whenever required, advise public boards or officers in regard to the location, drainage, water supply, disposal of excreta, heating and ventilation of any public building or institution; and shall recommend from time to time works on hygiene for the use of public schools. They shall send their secretary or a committee to any part of the state, whenever deemed necessary to investigate the causes and circumstances of any special or unusual disease or mortality, or to inspect any public building, and such officers shall have full power to do any necessary act therefor. The board shall in October of each year report to the Governor their transactions, investigations and discoveries during the preceding year, and such suggestions for legislation as they think fit.

*

SECTION 1408. The board shall have charge of all matters pertaining to quarantine, and may from time to time make general or local rules and regulations for the preservation or improvement of the public health, not inconsistent with law,† and all sheriffs, constables, police officers and all other officers and employes of the state, shall respect and enforce the same in every particular affecting their respective duties and localities.

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* Modified by Chap. 327, laws of 1885.

In the statutes as printed in the authorized edition of 1878, the words or those prescribed by local authorities in pursuance of law" follow the words "not inconsistent with law". The restriction imposed by them having been removed by section 2 of chapter 452 of the laws of 1887, the words in question are omitted in this connection.

Laws Relating to the Public Health.

SECTION 1410. The health physician and the clerk of the board of health in every town, village and city shall each, at least once a year, report to the State Board their transactions and such facts as shall be required upon blanks and according to instructions furnished, and shall also make special reports whenever required. All officers of the state, the physicians of all mining, manufacturing and other companies or associations, and all presidents, officers and agents of any company incorporated by, or doing business under, the laws of this state shall, when requested, furnish, so far as practicable, the State Board or its secretary any information required touching the public health; and every person refusing to comply with the provisions of this section shall forfeit $10.

CHAPTER 452, LAWS OF 1887.

An act to appropriate a fund to be used for the prevention of the introduction and spread of Asiatic Cholera, and other dangerous diseases, and for the more effectual protection of the public health.

The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. [This section provides for a fund available only until February 1, 1889.]

SECTION 2. The more effectually to protect the public health, the State Board of Health shall have power to establish such systems of inspection as in its judgment may be necessary to ascertain the presence of the infection of Asiatic Cholera or other dangerous contageous disease; and any member or duly authorized agent or inspector of the said board shall have power to enter any building, vessel, railway car, or other public vehicle, to inspect the same and to remove therefrom any person affected by Asiatic Cholera or other dangerous contagious disease; and for this purpose he may require the person in charge of any vessel or public vehicle other than a railway car to stop such vessel or vehicle at any place, and he may require the conductor of any railway train to stop his train at any station or upon any sidetrack for such time as may be necessary. And the State Board of Health may from time to time make, alter, modify or revoke rules and regulations for guarding against the introduction of contagious diseases into the state; for the control and suppression thereof if within the state; for the quarantine and disinfection of persons, localities and things infected or suspected of being infected by such diseases; for the transportation of dead bodies; for the speedy and private interment of the bodies of persons who have died from dangerous contagious disease; for the proper sanitary care of jails, asylums, school-houses, hotels, and all other public buildings and the premises connected therewith; and, in emergency, for providing those sick with