stagnant water on Cochran alley and South street, was being abated by means of a twenty-four inch sewer, Health Officer Samuel C. Nickline, of New Castle, having sent information that the work was about completed. Major Slagle spoke of the importance of the questions involved and thought that action taken in sanitary matters should be reasonable and practicable, that the use of abattoirs would dispose largely of nuisances arising from slaughter houses and that there should be a system adopted for the removal of garbage. The necessity of a good and general system of sewerage on the South Side and East End was spoken of at length. Dr. Lee, Secretary of the State Board, referred to the advisability of having boards of health established in townships as well as in boroughs throughout the State. Thomas M. McFarland, attorney for the board of health of Pittsburgh, spoke of the legal powers of the State Board and also of local boards of health. He observed that while such boards might be more efficient if additional powers were granted them, yet there were ample legal pow ers in the case of most of the complaints made to boards of health to enable them to remedy the evils complained of. In the exceptional cases where they cannot be reached by the laws governing boards of health they certainly can be reached by indictment. The speaker further said that the State Board should be given a larger appropriation to enable the board to engage efficient inspectors, that inspectors were the working force of the board and by a thorough inspection by them of localities having no boards of health great good could undoubtedly be accomplished. Dr. J. C. Dunn, president of the Pittsburgh board of health, also referred to the importance of the State Board securing a larger appropriation and of having still greater powers. He pledged the hearty coöperation of the Pittsburgh board in aiding the State board. After Dr. Jennings had been interrogated by Dr. Lee as to his duties and powers as an officer of the State Board of Agriculture in reference to diseased cattle, with a view to determining to what extent coöperation would be possible between himself and the inspector of the State Board of Health, in the event of an inroad of pleuropneumonia or other infectious disease in domestic animals, the conference adjourned. 6 & 7. To Members of the Pennsylvania Legislature. 8. To Mayors and Burgesses. 9. To authorities of Towns on the Schuylkill River. 10. To Presidents of County Medical Societies. 11. To Officers of County Medical Societies. 12. To Bishops in Pennsylvania. 13. To Officers of County Medical Societies. 14. To the Clergy of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. 15. To the Clergy of the Diocese of Certral Pennsylvania. 16. To the Clergy under the jurisdiction of Archbishop Ryan. 17. To the Clergy in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. 18. To Boards of Health in Pennsylvania. 19. To Mayors and Burgesses. 20. To the Public Press. 21. To the Clergy in the Diocese of Bishop O'Hara. 22. To the Press. 23. To the Clergy in the Diocese of Bishop Mullen. 24. To Clergy of the M. E. Church, under the jurisdiction of Bishop Mallalieu. 25. To Secretaries of State Boards of Health. I. Circular addressed to the superintendents of public schools in Pennsylvania, January 1, 1886, accompanying circulars on the prevention of cholera and small-pox, requesting their distribution to every chairman of the board of school directors and every teacher in the State. II. Circular addressed to members of Congress from Pennsylvania, January, 1886, urging the necessity for national health legislation, and requesting their support. III. Circular addressed to physicians in each county, January 19, 1886, urging them to write at once to their representatives in Congress, to support measure for national health legislation. IV. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO THE MAYORS OF CITIES, ACCOMPANYING CIRCULARS ON CHOLERA AND SMALL-POX. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, To His Honor the Mayor of . PHILADELPHIA, January 28th, 1886. DEAR SIR: Your attention is respectfully called to the enclosed circulars, with the request that you will bring the subject to which they refer to the notice of your city councils, urging upon them the importance of sustaining your board of health in every measure designed to place your city in good sanitary condition before the advent of the hot season, or, in case no such board exists, of at once establishing it in conformity with the provisions of the acts of May 25th, 1874, or of April 11th, 1876. I shall esteem it a favor if you will forward at once to this office. a full list of members of your board, and of all officers charged with sanitary duties, together with the plan of organization, rules and other documents and information relative to its work. I have the honor to be, Yours respectfully, BENJAMIN LEE, V. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO ALL CHIEF BURGESSES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, ACCOMPANYING CIRCULARS ON SMALL-POX AND CHOLERA. Chief Burgess, STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, DEAR SIR: Your attention is respectfully called to the enclosed circulars, with the request that you will bring the subjects to which they refer before your council. It is of the first importance that every borough council in the State should at once assume the powers and enter upon the discharge of the duties assigned to it by law, as the protector of the lives and health of the community over which it has jurisdiction. In this connection I would refer you to section 2, of the act of April 3d, 1851, where you will find these powers and duties clearly defined. I have the honor to be, BENJAMIN LEE, VI. and VII. Circulars addressed to members of State Legislature, February 5, 1886, accompanying circulars on cholera and small-pox, requesting them to influence the councils of cities and boroughs, inducing them to effect a sanitary organization, and, also, requesting them to write to Pennsylvania members of Congress with reference to national health legislation. VIII. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO ALL MAYORS OF CITIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTIONS OF THE BOARD. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 5, 1886. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit to you the following resolutions passed by the State Board of Health at its last regular meeting, with the request that you will bring the subjects to which they refer to the attention of your councils. Yours very respectfully, BENJAMIN LEE, Secretary. Resolved. That this Board is convinced that the local boards of health of this State, and particularly of our large cities, are seriously crippled in their official work by the insufficiency of funds; and that we earnestly recommend to the proper authorities the expediency of very materially increasing the appropriations of money to these boards, as a measure of public economy, as well as of public safety. Resolved, That it is the sense of this Board that typhoid fever should be added to the list of disease which are required by law to be reported to the health officer as being of a contagious or infectious char acter. IX. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO THE MAYORS OF ALL CITIES AND THE BURGESSES OF ALL BOROUGHS, SITUATED ON THE SCHUYLKILL RIVER, ACCOMPANYING RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 20, 1886. DEAR SIR: Allow me to call your attention to the following resolutions passed by the State Board of Health at its last regular meeting, and to request you to aid me in accomplishing the important result at which they aim by furnishing me, as early as may be convenient, the following data. First. What are the sources from which excrementitious matter may find its way in the Schuylkill river, in or near the limits of your municipality, naming each dwelling and manufacturing establishment, or, if sewers exist, their location, and population using them? Second. What are the means by which such entrance could be prevented? Third. What steps are being taken to adopt these means? and Fourth. What would be the probable expense entailed by them? I have the honor to be, Yours respectfully, BENJAMIN LEE, Secretary. WHEREAS, The Schuylkill river is used for drinking water by the cities of Philadelphia, Conshohocken, Norristown, Phoenixville and Pottstown; and Whereas, A large amount of excrementitious matter is now allowed to enter the river, which is dangerous to the health of each of the above communities; therefore, Resolved, That the executive officer of the board be instructed to take such steps as may be necessary to prevent the entrance of excrementitious matter into the Schuylkill river above the city of Philadelphia. X. Circular addressed to the presidents of county medical societies, March 5, 1886, requesting them to call a special meeting of their societies and pass resolutions supporting the national health legislation, and send them to their Representatives and Senators in Congress with the names of the officers and members appended. XI. CIRCULAR ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARIES OF COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETIES IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, EXECUTIVE OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA. DEAR DOCTOR: It is a matter of considerable importance that a complete register of the physicians of Pennsylvania should appear in the first annual report of our board. The prothonotary of your county, however, declines to perform the labor of copying the register on the ground that the law does not compel him to do so. But I have no doubt that he would allow you access to his books in order to make a transcript yourself. The necessary blanks issued by me, are in his office. Will you not, associating with yourself two or three medical friends if necessary, do me the favor to obtain a copy of his record and let me have it at as early a date as possible. Yours very truly, BENJAMIN LEE, Secretary. XII. Circular addressed to the bishops of the various churches in Pennsylvania, March 28, 1886, requesting them to send a note of approbation of the work and objects of the State Board of Health and lists of the clergy of their dioceses accompanying copy of circular to the clergy. |