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MEETINGS OF THE BOARD.

FIRST OR BIENNIAL MEETING.

The board met at their room in the state house, Montpelier, Oct. 9, 1894, it being the second Tuesday of the session of the legislature and the time provided in section four of the act creating the state board of health for its stated meeting.

The board had the assistance of the joint committee on public health in preparing amendments to the public health laws. The result of this meeting was the promulgating of important bills by the committee and board for presentation to the legislature.

1st. A bill for increase of appropriation.

2d. A bill providing for removal of health officers for cause, etc. Adjourned.

J. H. HAMILTON, Secretary.

SECOND MEETING.

Pursuant to call of the president the board met at the Van Ness House, Burlington, Jan. 10, 1895, president and secretary present. The secretary received a communication from Dr. Varney, health officer, from Charlotte, asking the assistance of the state board in cleaning up the premises infected with small pox in that town. The secretary was instructed to render such assistance as was necessary to insure safety from its spread.

A communication from Dr. Eastman was presented in regard to some opposition to his rulings in certain important cases where he had attempted to suppress the spread of infection. Dr. Eastman was sustained by the board in his rulings, and the secretary was directed to notify him to this effect.

The secretary was advised to issue a circular upon typhoid fever. The president was asked to procure stationery for the board, envelopes to be stamped.

Adjourned.

J. H. HAMILTON, Secretary.

THIRD MEETING.

The state board of health met at the Bardwell House, Rutland, June 6, 1895, and transacted the following business:

The secretary reported investigations of sewer question of Rochester, and was instructed to notify parties interested that owing to the unavoidable contamination of the brook as now situated, there could be no objection to connecting house sewer directly with the

same.

In the complaint from Brandon regarding the connecting of sewer with brook, the secretary was directed to advise that the sewer of Dr. Gee be not allowed to empty into the brook, as the water is used for drinking purposes.

Members present, Drs. Caverly and Hamilton.

Adjourned.

J. H. HAMILTON, Secretary.

FOURTH MEETING.

The board met at the Brandon House, Brandon, July 12th, 1895. This meeting was called by the president at the request of Dr. Gee, for the purpose of considering the question whether he should be allowed to discharge his sewer into a brook or not, the water of which being used for drinking purposes at certain seasons of the year. This was an appeal from the decision of the secretary, and reported to the board at Rutland. After a careful and thorough inspection of the conditions, the board, voted to sustain the secretary in the matter and directed him to report to the local board. Adjourned.

J. H. HAMILTON, Secretary.

FIFTH MEETING.

The board met at the Woodstock Inn, Woodstock, Aug. 22, 1895. The members of the board were present, also Dr. Chandler, health officer of Woodstock and Pomfret. The secretary was instructed to procure the written decision of the supreme court in the case of State v. Wm. Speyer of Middlebury, for publication in annual report.

Secretary was instructed to revise circular No. 10, rules and regulations, and subject them to the board for approval.

Dr. Chandler gave an interesting history of the outbreak of small pox in Pomfret, as to the probable and only possible method

by which the infection was conveyed to those who suffered from the disease, viz. : from papers and letters sent through the mails from an infected family.

Adjourned.

J. H. HAMILTON, Secretary.

Report on the Middlebury Sewer and Water Systems.

To the Sewer Committee, Middlebury:

At the request of the health officer of your town, Dr. Caverly of our board visited Middlebury Oct. 11. From such inspection as he was able to make of your sewerage and water systems, and from conversation with members of your committee, there were developed the following facts:

Your water supply is taken from Otter Creek above the falls in your village. The plant consists of an intake crib near the rail. road bridge, from which an iron pipe leads to the pumping station, situated in the falls below, from which water is pumped by water power directly into the distributing mains. In the iron pipe leading to the pump is a filter, the exact composition of which could not be determined. There are approximately 40 families emptying sewage by private drains into the creek above the falls at present.

The iron pipe from the crib to the pumping station is broken in several places. It is desired to complete an unfinished sewer to the creek above the falls. This sewer will carry the sewage of about 22 families. On certain days each week, in warm weather and whenever there is a fire at any season, the water from the creek is pumped directly into the mains-the water supplied by the intake iron pipe being insufficient for the extra demand.

There are at this time at least four cases of typhoid fever in your village, the excreta from which do not reach the creek above the falls. There is an open sewer in what is called " Frog Hollow," in the center of the village, which carried the sewage of the high school, the college and about 25 private families.

The statements above made were agreed to by your committee as substantially correct. Such being the case, our board would respectfully submit the following report and suggestions:

1. Your water supply and water mains are now contaminated with animal excreta.

2. Adding the sewage from the uncompleted sewer to the water of the creek above the falls will only make an already bad water supply worse.

3. A single case of typhoid fever in any family sewering into the creek above the falls, jeopardizes the lives and health of all those drinking the water. Further, the present contamination without the addition of typhoid excreta, renders the water positively unhealthy.

4. A new intake pipe for your water supply should be extended above the present crib, to a point beyond the entrance of any sewer or drain, large enough to meet all the needs of your community, and so laid as to be safe from frost and remain intact.

Meanwhile, every family "using the present supply of water should be emphatically cautioned to boil all the water used for drinking purposes.

6. The money proposed to be expended in carrying the present unfinished sewer below the falls, can more easily be expended in carrying out the fourth suggestion, and the sewer can be run directly into the river at the nearest point.

7. The open sewer in "Frog Hollow" should be covered and carried into the creek.

The fourth and fifth suggestions are ones that should receive prompt attention.

Respectfully submitted,

STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.

STATE OF VERMONT VS. WM. SPEYER.

This case was brought by the health officer of Middlebury, to test the authority of the state board of health to promulgate regulations, etc. One of the regulations issued by the board declares in substance that a pig pen located within 100 feet of a dwelling house or public highway, is a nuisance. The case was heard in Addison county court, Judge Tyler presiding, and decided in favor of the state. Upon exceptions by respondent it was carried to the supreme court with the following result:

BRIEF FOR THE STATE.

In 1886 the legislature passed an act to prevent the spreading of contagious diseases, and to establish a state board of health. No. 93, of laws of 1886. This act empowered the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, to appoint three persons as members of a state board of health for the state of Vermont. The term of office of the members of this board should be so arranged that the term of one of them should expire every two years, and any vacancies should be filled by appointment of the governor and confirmation by the senate when next in session. The act provides for the calling of a meeting upon the appointment of said board, and the election of a president from the board, and of a secretary who shall become ex officio a member of the board, and be an executive officer of the same so long as he holds the office of secretary. The board, as thus constituted and organized, should take cognizance of the interests of life and health. among the inhabitants of the state, should make sanitary investi-. gations respecting the causes of disease, and especially of epidemics and the means of prevention, the sources of mortality and the effect of localities, employments, habits and circumstances of life on the public health. They should also, under certain circumstances, advise with local boards in regard to the sanitary condition of public buildings, and the drainage and sewerage of towns and cities. The board should hold a regular biennial meeting, and such other meetings as they judge necessary. The secretary, as executive officer of the board, should superintend the performance of the work prescribed in the act, should visit localities affected with epidemics, contagious diseases, or other unusual sickness, should assist the secretary of state in making report required by law relating to births, deaths and marriages in the state, and should make report to the governor each year of the investigations, discoveries and recommendations of the board, which report should be printed.

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