REPORT OF THE BOARD. To his Excellency GEORGE STONEMAN, Governor of California: The State Board of Health, in presenting this its ninth biennial report to you and to the Legislature, is glad to be able to say that the sanitary condition of the State for the fiscal year ending June, 1886, has been generally good. Although threatened, no epidemic disease has invaded our borders. The Board is now in closer and more regular communication with a greater number of the different municipalities and localities throughout the State, and of the various health organizations of the country, than ever before, and have striven by every means available-having also received the valuable aid of the public press-to keep the people acquainted with the sanitary condition of the State, and at the same time advising them of the importance of studying and observing proper sanitary laws. The members of your Board have given all the assistance in their power to help bring about this encouraging condition of the public health, and to lay the foundation of future good work. They have been active, harmonious, and zealous in the discharge of their duty. California was one of the first States in the Union to see the urgent necessity of organizing a State Board of Health, and much good work has been done; but we are forced to admit that California is now far behind some of her sister States in which State Boards of Health are maintained, in failing to have upon her statute books many needed sanitary laws, and having the same carried out by efficacious State aid. As Californians, we are all justly proud of our State, standing, as it does, in the first rank as to intelligence and wealth of her citizens; therefore, such a lax condition. of our health laws, so easily remedied, should not be permitted. The State must protect her people in the enjoyment of health and happiness, as well as property. And we are confident that as soon as earnest attention is called to this subject our legislators will quickly place our State in the front rank in this ås in all other matters appertaining to the public welfare. As to the financial workings of the Board, the detailed statement of our Permanent Secretary appended, shows that the amount appropriated for the work of the Board has been faithfully and judiciously used; and fortunate has it been for our coast that we have not been visited by any pestilential diseases, such as yellow fever, smallpox, or cholera, during the past two years. If we had been, the limited appropriation at the disposal of this Board, it is feared, would not have been sufficient to have permitted it to maintain such a quarantine as would have proved effective. QUARANTINE. The subject of State quarantine is one of primary importance, and should command the earnest attention of the Legislature, as it has so often of this Board. With ocean steamers almost daily arriving from China and Japan, Mexico, and Central America; with three lines of transroads daily discharging their human freight from all parts e California; with cholera prevalent in Southern Europe; present danger of yellow fever from Mexico; and of both cholera from China and the Indies; the situation calls for Active preventive measures. Quarantine grounds should be suitable buildings erected at some point on the Bay of San where the passengers and crews of infected ships could be mainthe sick provided for until all danger of contagion is past. stations should also be provided at the points where each train 53st passes the borders of our State, and a careful examination of gers should be there made, and if the presence of contagious siscovered, the infected should be detained at the station and noroughly fumigated before being allowed to proceed. Such a ne station was established in 1883 and 1884, by this Board, at e prevent the introduction of yellow fever from Mexico, and that quarantine may have to be reestablished on the line of the Souththe Railroad, is by no means improbable. As guardians, therefore, enable health, we would say that a contingent fund should be placed De Legislature at the disposal of his Excellency the Governor, to be w upon by him only in case of the approach of an epidemic. For as manent Secretary says in his report, "it is incomprehensible how stors can be so blind to the interests of California, as to refuse this ad, upon which depends the commercial prosperity and the indisecurity of the people." As is well known, and as will be seen by examining the carefully preand very complete report of our Secretary, this Board at the last regusion of the Legislature tried to have passed certain amendments to the aws of Health," as laid down in the Political Code, so as to make them deceive and of practical benefit to the people. That attempted legislation alled, but we still have hopes that "these most important measures" may, the next session of the Legislature, find a place among the enacted laws, o we are now more thoroughly convinced than ever of their necessity, etc. Among a few of the important measures that ought to receive immediate tention is the subject of Vital Statistics. 7. the Vital Statistics of California are very incomplete, as regards the egistration of births, deaths, and marriages. This should not be so, and especially due to the insufficiency of the law itself. This should be promptly remedied. A stringent law ought also to be passed forbidding the burial or cremation of human bodies within the limits of this State, without first having obtained a regular permit, signed by the proper official designated by law for that purpose. As it is now, we have no legal means of proving the death of any person (either for the inheritance of property or the detection of crime) who may have died and been buried outside of one of our incorporated cities or towns. Compulsory vaccination laws, at least so far as regards school children, should be enacted. The importance of thorough vaccination and revaccination of the people, especially on the appearance of an epidemic of smallpox, cannot be questioned. We have a State Analyst connected with the State University, but without funds it is impossible for him to do the work required by this Board for the benefit of the people of the State at large. The importance of a proper analysis of the mineral waters of the State, both qualitative and quantitative, of the plants, soil, etc., cannot be overestimated. |