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A DIGEST

OF THE

ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS

-OF

THE CITY OF CHICAGO,

RELATING TO THE

PUBLIC HEALTH, VITAL STATISTICS, Etc., Etc.

-BY

O. R. BROUSE, A. M.

OF THE CHICAGO BAR.

The City of Chicago is re-organized under the Act of 1872 relating to "Cities, Villages and Touns," such reorganization having been done in pursuance of an election held April 23d, 1875.-(See Rev. Stat., 1874, pp. 211-259; also Council Proceedings, May 3, 1875.)

This law of 1872 gives authority to the Common Council of a City to appoint a Board of Health and prescribe its duties; to erect and establish hospitals and medical dispensaries, and control and regulate the same; to do all acts, make all regulations which may be necessary or expedient for the promotion of health or the suppression of disease; to regulate cemeteries, rendering houses, packing houses, privies, sewers, and the sale of meats, fish, etc., etc.(Rev. Stat., 1874, p. 221-2.)

And the Council has made the COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH chief of the entire Health Department.-[Council Proceedings, Mar. 1, 1877.] BIRTHS AND DEATHS.--(See Registry.)

BONES AND GREASE--Must not be transported, hauled or carried through the streets or alleys by any person engaged in gathering the same, without having the wagon, cart or vehicle in which the same is carried, tightly and securely covered, to the satisfaction of the health officer; and such wagons must not stand on any street or alley, in any case, to exceed fifteen minutes, under penalty of from $5 to $500.-(By-Laws, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 182.)

BREAD ORDINANCE, THE.-A permit from the Mayor must be taken out for the manufacture of bread. The fee is 50 cents. The bread sold must be in loaves of 1 b., 14 lbs., 1 lbs., 2 lbs., 2 bs. and 3 tbs. respectively. And no bread shall be sold, or offered for sale,

of any less weight, (excepting biscuit, rolls, etc.). Any deficiency may be ascertained by weighing, in the presence of one or more witnesses, within twelve hours after it is baked, sold or offered for sale. Policemen are authorized to enter any bake-shop, or stop any person carrying bread for the purpose of sale, to ascertain if this Ordinance is violated. The penalty for a violation is $5 for the first offense and $10 for the second offense, and from $25 to $50 for each subsequent offense.-(Council Pro., May 17, 1877, and June 4, 1877.)

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BURIAL OF THE DEAD.-No dead bodies are allowed to be buried within the city limits The penalty for the violation of this ordinance is $100.-(Ord. May 28, 1866. Re-passed, Dec. 20, 1866.)

Persons dying in the City Hospital, or in other places under charge of the city, are to be decently buried at the expense of the city: Provided, such deceased persons have not the means to defray their own expenses of sickness or burial.-(Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 50.)

No dead body will be allowed to be taken from the city for interment, or interred, until the certificate of the physician attending in the last illness, or coroner, shall have been filed at the office of the Commissioner of Health, and his permit granted for such removal or interment.-(By-Laws, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 180.)

CITY PHYSICIAN.-The City Physician is appointed by the Mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the Council.-(Rev. Stat. Ill., p. 224, sec. 74.)

He attends and administers to all sick persons confined in any police station-house, bride well, work-house, house of refuge, or other city prison, and attends to such other duties as may be prescribed by the Commissioner of Health or Common Council.-(Laws 1863, chap. 3, sec. 12.)

It is the duty of the City Physician:

First. To have and exercise a general supervision over the saniitary condition of the city, and to report to the Commissioner all nuisances, the prevalence of any epidemic, contagious or infectious disease, or other causes, which, in his opinion, are likely to be detrimental to the general health.

Second. To keep on hand, at all times, a sufficient supply of genuine vaccine matter, and to see that all persons, so far as he may have it in his power, are properly vaccinated.

Third. Upon being informed of the existence or introduction of any contagious or infectious disease within the city, to inquire immediately into the facts, and report the same to the Commissioner, and see that the orders of the Commissioner are obeyed, as far as practicable.

Fourth. To superintend the small-pox, cholera, and other city hospitals, and administer to all persons conveyed there, who have no other physician, or who are unable to employ one; to attend and administer to such other indigent persons as he may be directed to by the Commissioner of Health or Health Officer; and to visit and administer to prisoners sick in the city work-house, calaboose, police-station, or house of correction, and to make at least three visits to the house of correction each week.

Fifth. To report to the Commissioner of Health all cases where any sick person has not been properly attended to, and all other matters which he may deem important, and give such information as the said Commissioner may desire in relation to the sanitary condition or regulation of the city, so far as he may be able to do so. Sixth. To examine, at the request of the Commissioner of Health, boats and vessels coming into port, the officers, crews or passengers of which may be supposed to be affected by any contagious or infectious disease, and to advise the health officer what disposition shall be made of the same; and to perform such other duties as the Council shall hereafter prescribe, including the vaccination of the children of the public schools, or of others

requesting him to do so; and to make a monthly report of his transactions to the Council, together with such suggestions as experience may point out as calculated to promote the general sanitary condition of the city.-(Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 51.)

There was appropriated for the City Physician, from_January 1 to May 1, 1877, at rate of $1,900 per annum; from May 1 to December 31, 1877, at $1,500 per annum-$1,600.—[So the Ordinance reads.-O.R.B.]

COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH-(See Health, Commissioner of.) DEAD ANIMALS-And animal matter, within the city, or within four miles of the city, must be removed by the owners, within twenty-four hours, to some point more than four miles from the city, under a penalty of $100; and if the owners fail so to do, the health officer must immediately remove the same.-(Law 1865, Rev. Ord., 1873, p_547.)

Dead animals are now removed by the Health Department as part of the Scavengers' work of the City, upon notice being filed at the Health office in the City Hall.-(See Appropriations, under Health Commissioner of.)

DEATHS AND BIRTHS.-(See Registry.)

DISEASED ANIMALS.-It is unlawful for any person to drive, or bring or slaughter within the City of Chicago, any animal which is maimed, bruised, afflicted with swellings, sores, or disease of any kind or nature. The penalty for the violation of this provision is from $5 to $500 for each offense.-(By-Laws, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 181.)

DISEASED OR UNSOUND MEATS.-Exposing for sale the meat or flesh of any diseased animal, or any emaciated or tainted, putrid, decayed, decaying, unwholesome or diseased meat, vegetables, fruit, butter or provisions of any kind, is punishable by fine of from $5 to $500 for each offense.-(By-Law, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 181.)

EPIDEMICS (See Health, Commissioner of.)

FISH. (See Inspector of Fish.)

FRUITS, ETC.-The Health Department has been entrusted with the following Ordinance, May 21, 1877, to regulate the selling of Fruits, Berries, etc.

Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Chicago:

SECTION 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, or offer for sale, fruits or berries within the City of Chicago except by the barrel, bushel, or some aliquot part of a bushel, according to the table of dry measures; nor shall it be lawful to sell fruits or berries in packages, except every such package contain a barrel or bushel or some aliquot part of a bushel according to the table of dry measures; Provided, that this section shall not apply to dry or preserved fruits and berries, or to the sale of fruits retailed at a fixed price per piece or number.

SEC. 2. All fruits and berries, fresh or dried, sold or offered for sale in the City of Chicago in packages shall be of equal goodness in every part of the package.

SEC. 3. Any person or persons guilty of a violation of either of the foregoing sections shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $5 nor more than $25 for every such violation; one-half of said fine shall be paid to the person upon whose complaint and information such conviction is obtained.

SEC. 4. This ordinance shall be in force from and after its passage. -[Council Pro., May 21, 1877.]

HEALTH, COMMISSIONER OF-Abolition of the Health Depart ment.-The Health Department was abolished by an Ordinance passed July 19, 1876, and amended March 1, 1877. The following is the Ordi..

nance:

Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Chicago:

SECTION 1. That the Board of Health, as at present organized, be and the same is hereby abolished, and that all of the powers and

duties of said Board shall be vested in and performed by an officer to be called Commissioner of Health, who shall have the management and control of all such matters and things now under the management and control of the said Board of Health.

SEC. 2. The said Commissioner of Health shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City, by and with the advice and consent of the City Council, and shall receive a salary not exceeding $3,000 per annum, and he shall give his entire time to the duties of his office, and shall hold his office until his successor is appointed and qualified.

SEC. 3. Said Commissioner of Health shall have power to employ an assistant at a salary not exceeding $1,200; a secretary and compiler of statistics, at a salary not exceeding $1,000; a register of vital statistics, at a salary not exceeding $1,500 per annum; one health office clerk at a salary not exceeding $1,000 per annum; three medical sanitary inspectors, at a salary not exceeding $500 per annum each; and two meat inspectors and eighteen sanitary policemen, at a salary not exceeding $60 per month, who shall have full police powers and perform all the duties of sanitary policemen, as are now provided by the laws and ordinances of the city, and such other duties as the said Commissioner of Health may require and determine; said Commissioner of Health shall also have charge of the City Hospital, and have power to employ such assistants and nurses as may be necessary in and about the same.

Appropriations.-The appropriations for the year 1877 are:

For salary for one Commissioner of health..

For salary of one assistant commissioner of health.

.$ 3,000 00

1,200 00

For salary of one secretary and compiler of statistics..
For salary of one register of vital statistics..
For salary of one health office clerk..

1,000 00

1,500 00

For salaries of three medical sanitary inspectors..

1,000 00

1,500 00

For salaries of 18 sanitary policemen, at $60 per month.

12,960 00

For salaries of two meat inspectors, at $60 per month
For salary of one steward, small-pox hospital
For salary of one male nurse..

1,440 00

600 00

360 00

For salary of one female nurse.

180 00

For salary of one cook...

300 00

For medicines, coal, provisions, &c., for small-pox hospital.
For printing and stationery for department..

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For scavenger work and removing dead animals.

30,000 00

For disinfectants..

500 00

For vaccine virus...

........

300 00

For incidental expenses.

500 00

For expense of city horse and wagon, extra scavenger work.

500 00

Total for health department..

$61,340 00

Bond and Oath.-The Commissioner of Health, before entering upon his duties, must give a bond of $25,000, and take the oath of office.

Epidemics, Powers in Case of.-In case of pestilence or epidemic disease, or of danger from anticipated or impending pestilence or disease, or in case the sanitary condition of the city should be of such a character as to warrant it, it is the duty of the Commissioner of Health to take such measures and do such acts for the preservation of the public health as he may, in good faith, declare the public safety and health to demand, (although such act be not by law especially authorized,) and the Council may order the Mayor and Comptroller to borrow funds for the same.-(Laws 1867, chap. 4, sec. 8, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 544.)

Estimates, Annual.-He makes and certifies to the Mayor or Comptroller an estimate of the needs of his department for the ensuing year. (Law 1867, Rev. Ord., 1873, p. 544.)

Reports, Annual.-And he makes to the Council a full report by the first Monday of April, each year, of all the transactions, condition and expenditures of the department, together with statistics of the mortality of the city, and any other matter of general value in his department.-(Law 1867, Rev. Örd., 1873, p. 543.)

Under the new ordinance quoted above, re-organizing the health department of the city, the Commissioner of Health is the head of the entire system. He is chosen by and is responsible to the Mayor and Council. He appoints and removes all the subordinates in his department, and is responsible for their acts. But the City Physician, being appointed also by the Mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the Council, has special charge of the City Hospital, the sick in the City Prisons and House of Correction, etc., and in these he is amenable directly to the Mayor and Council.

Yet the Commissioner of Health may require certain things of the City Physician.-(See City Physician.)

In addition to the duties of the late Board of Health, by the ordinance quoted above, there is imposed upon the Commissioner of Health the special duties of the late Sanitary Superintendent, and Health Officer; and it is his duty to carry out all the provisions of the laws of the State, and the ordinances of the city in relation to the health of the city; to proceed, from time to time, to make a thorough and systematic examination of the city, and cause all nuisances to be abated with promptness. He, or his assistant, or policeman, is per mitted at all times, from rising to setting sun, to enter any house, store, stable or other building, and cause floors to be raised if necessary, to enter upon all lots of ground, and to cause all stagnant waters to be drained off, the pools, sinks, vaults, drains or low grounds to be cleansed, filled up, or otherwise improved or amended; to cause all privies to be cleansed and kept in good condition; and to cause all dead animals or other nauseous or unwholesome substances to be buried or removed beyond the city limits. He must serve a notice in writing upon the owner or occupant of any lot, building or premises, in or upon which any nuisance may be found, or who may be the owner or cause of such nuisance, requiring him to abate the same in such manner as he may prescribe within a reasonable time; but it is not necessary that he should prescribe the manner in which such nuisance shall be abated, unless he deems it advisable so to do; and such owner or occupant must comply with said notice, under penalty of a fine of from $3 to $50 for every such violation. And the Commissioner may proceed at once, after the expiration of such time, to cause such nuisance to be abated; if the owner or occupant, or agent of the premises be not found, the Commissioner may abate the nuisance without notice. And in either case, the cost of the abatement may be collected from such owner. (See also Nuisances.)

The Commissioner must, in person, or by his assistant or a medical inspector, visit and examine all sick persons who are reported to him as laboring under any yellow or ship fever, small-pox, cholera, or any infectious or pestilential disease, and cause all such infected persons to be removed to the cholera, small-pox, or other hospitals, or to such other safe and proper place as he may think proper, not exceeding three miles from said city, and cause them to be provided with suitable nurses and medical attendance, at their own expense, if they are able to pay for the same, but if not, then at the expense of the city.-(Rev. Ord. 1873, pp. 48-9, and Ord. of Mar. 1, 1877, above quoted.)

Provided, that in case such health officer be resisted or opposed in making such removal of any person so affected with an infectious or pestilential disease, the person or persons so opposing or resisting such health officer shall be fined therefor not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars, and such health officer, whenever it shall become necessary, in order to make the removal of any person so affected with any infectious or pestilential disease, as provided for

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