PORTO RICO

Plague-Fumigation of Cargo from Ports Infected With-Periodic Fumigation of Places Used for the Storing of Provisions. (Sanitary Regulation No. 74, Promulgated Dec. 28, 1922)

SECTION 1. Any cargo coming from ports officially declared infected with bubonic plague shall be fumigated by the department of health at the time of landing in any port of Porto Rico.

SEC. 2. Any warehouse, grocery, storehouse, used for the storing of provisions shall be fumigated by the department of health at least once every six months.

SEC. 3. The infringement of any of the dispositions of this regulation shall be punished in accordance with section 33 of "An act to reorganize the service of sanitation," approved March 14, 1912.

Bakeries Construction-Sanitary Requirements-Health Certificates Required of Employees. Bakery Products-Manufacture and Sale-Sanitary Requirements. (Sanitary Regulation No. 73, Promulgated Feb. 24, 1922)

SECTION. 1. No building in the island of Porto Rico shall be used for a bakery without the approval of the plans of said building or place where the industry is to be established by the insular sanitary engineer, said plans to be subject to the provisions of this regulation.

SEC. 2. No person, firm, corporation, or institution shall offer for sale, sell, or manufacture bread or other food products, prepared with wheat flour or superfine wheat flour, without a permit issued by the proper officer of the department of health: Provided, That this permit shall be renewed every year and may be revoked whenever the sanitary provisions in force are not complied with.

SEC. 3. Every building or premise used as a bakery and for the manufacture of the other foodstuffs referred to in the preceding section shall be erected in the locality providing the best sanitary conditions and separated from other buildings or premises used for industries producing offensive odors or other harmful contingencies which may affect the good quality of the bread and other products already mentioned.

SEC. 4. The building or premise used as a bakery shall contain the following departments:

(a) Kneading and baking: The oven shall be fireproof, with the specific requirement that the floor shall be of terra cotta or other refractory material. Said oven shall have two openings, one for the baking of bread and the other, which must be on the outside of the building, for the introduction of fuel and the cleaning of the oven.

The kneading shall be done by machinery when, in the opinion of the commissioner of health, the quantity of bread baked justifies the expenditure. The dough shall be kept in a receptacle lined with a smooth, nonabsorbent material.

(b) Warehouse for storage of flour and other ingredients connected with the industry.

(c) Premise for the sale of bread: This premise shall contain a place for the storage and preservation of the bread in good condition.

(d) Department for cleansing all utensils used in the work, in which department there shall be installed one or more porcelain-lined sinks, with an abundant supply of water.

(e) Room for employees provided with shower baths, porcelain washbowls, sanitary towels, and an abundant supply of water.

(f) A toilet or latrine as may become necessary. The toilet room shall not be in direct communication with any department of the bakery. The latrine shall be constructed outside of the building and never at less than 3 meters from any part thereof. This department shall be maintained fly proof.

SEC. 5. The interior and exterior walls of the bakery shall be of concrete, metal work covered with cement, or brick.

SEC. 6. All departments shall receive light and air directly from the street, from an alley 2 meters wide, or from a courtyard of not less than 3 by 5 meters, and in each department the area of the doors or windows opening into these spaces shall not be less than one-fifth of the area of its floor: Provided, That when the greatest length of a department shall be more than twice the height from the floor to the ceiling, the insular sanitary engineer may require the installation, in the ceiling of said department, of a mechanical apparatus for air circulation and the construction of a glass-covered skylight. The courtyard and alley mentioned in this section shall be the property of the proprietor of the building and said openings shall be roofless.

SEC. 7. The motor used in a bakery shall be placed outside of the site used for kneading and baking, unless it be an electric motor.

SEC. 8. The floors of all departments shall be at least 12 inches above the ground, constructed of cement, asphalt, or tiles, and should be scrubbed daily. Said floors shall have the necessary drainage and shall be rat proof.

SEC. 9. All departments shall be at least 12 feet high, the walls shall be plastered, cemented, polished, or wainscoated, the ceiling shall be plastered, or covered with boards or metal, and shall be whitewashed at least twice a year.

SEC. 10. In the bathrooms and toilets the floors and walls, to a height of 1.50 meters, shall be of a white nonabsorbent material and shall form a solid body with the cement.

SEC. 11. All furniture and utensils shall be so placed as to be easily moved, and the space between them and the floor shall be kept clean and in such condition that it will not harbor rats. No rubbish or any other objects which may become breeding places for insects or rats shall be kept in bakeries: Provided, That all vessels, utensils, and other objects that are or may come in immediate contact with the bread after kneading and in the necessary handling process of making it shall be kept scrupulously clean.

SEC. 12. Wood for fuel shall be stored in an appropriate place outside of the building, and shall be piled on frames constructed in such manner that the distance between the lowest cross beam of the same and the ground shall not be less than 2 feet: Provided, That if the yard is of concrete no frame is

necessary.

SEC. 13. Bakeries shall be maintained rat, fly, and insect proof and free from all domestic animals, also removed from cigar factories, stables, and barns; neither shall these last-named establishments be installed within such distance as to be harmful to an existing bakery. Dry sweeping which may disseminate dust is prohibited. No person shall sleep in any department of a bakery.

SEC. 14. Bakeries shall be provided with cuspidors, containing sufficient quantity of disinfectant, which shall be changed daily. Spitting on the floor is prohibited.

SEC. 15. No person shall be employed in any bakery who is suffering from tuberculosis, scrofuloderm, venereal diseases, syphilitic ulcerations, or simple or contagious dermatosis. No person shall be employed unless previously provided with the corresponding health certificate by the proper officer of the department of health.

SEC. 16. The manager, or person in charge of the bakery, as well as his assistants, shall always be clean while preparing, handling, manufacturing, or selling bread and flour products.

SEC. 17. For the purposes of this regulation, wheat flour or superfine wheat flour, shall be understood to be that which, being clean and sound, conforms to the official standard of the pure food and drug law approved by the United States Congress on June 30, 1906, as applied to insular possessions. If different from this standard, it shall be considered abnormal and can not be used in the manufacture of bread, except in accordance with the provisions of the following section.

SEC. 18. The manufacture of bread containing a mixture of wheat flour and other flours of inferior quality to the standard fixed in the preceding section is not prohibited: Provided, That when selling the product this condition is specified: And provided further, That in the mixture the maximum of inferior flour used shall be 50 per cent.

SEC. 19. For the purposes of this regulation wheat bread shall be understood to be the product prepared with wheat flour kneaded and fermented under good hygienic conditions by sanitary mechanical processes and placed in the oven until completely baked.

This bread shall be light and spongy, with a nutty smell and sui generis taste; filtered water or pure milk, eggs, or lard shall be used in its preparation, and the salt and yeast used shall be of best quality and in good hygienic conditions. SEC. 20. Only such yeasts shall be used as combine the following characteristics: Uniform creamy-white color, firm, uniform texture, damp but not soapy appearance, characteristic odor of apples. No yeasts shall be used the smell of which indicates incipient or advanced decomposition or which show dark or colored stripes.

SEC. 21. No product shall be sold or offered for sale in Porto Rico made from sour or unwholesome flour or if mixed with general salts or other ingredients, or if its condition is such that when used for food it may be injurious or seriously affect the health.

SEC. 22. Every loaf of bread, of whatever kind, size, or weight, as soon as it is baked, shall be carefully wrapped in paper and thus kept until distributed to the public: Provided, That when a bakery has a regular order to deliver a certain quantity of bread every day at retail to a certain person, or in case of a large amount of loaves previously ordered, the loaves may be delivered wrapped in one bundle. This shall be done as soon as the bread is baked: Bread shall be kept and transported in vehicles which are insect and dust proof.

SEC. 23. Boards or other substances which have been painted or subjected to any chemical preparation or which may be impregnated by injurious substances are prohibited for use as fuel in the ovens of bakeries.

SEC. 24. The addition to wheat flours of any substances tending to increase their natural weight or volume is prohibited, as well as the employment of processes extraneous to the natural and known processes of bread making which have been proven by experience: Provided, That in any bread, the dough of which is not composed exclusively of wheat flour, yeast, common salt, and wellfiltered water, its composition shall be clearly expressed at time of sale: And provided further, That nothing contained in this regulation shall be understood to be opposed to the making of bread if its manufacture be in accordance with the general sanitary conditions required by this regulation as to the making of wheat bread.

SEC. 25. This regulation shall be applicable to newly constructed bakeries: Provided, That the commissioner of health is authorized to omit any of its requirements when, in his opinion, the quantity of bread baked does not justify

the expense and such omission will not be injurious to public health: Provided, further, That bakeries now existing shall be altered and made to conform, as far as possible, to the provisions of this regulation, within a reasonable time, as may be ordered by the commissioner of health from time to time.

SEC. 26. Any person violating any provision of this regulation shall be punished by fine of not less than $1 nor more than $100, or by imprisonment of from 1 to 30 days, or both, in the discretion of the court.

SEC. 27. All regulations or ordinances in conflict with this regulation are hereby repealed.

SEC. 28. Sanitary regulations Nos. 30, 39, and 56 "for bakeries, baking processes, and sale of bread" are hereby repealed.

Factories, Workshops, and Public Establishments-Licensing-Health Certifi cates May be Required of Employees. (Sanitary Regulation No. 71, Promulgated Jan. 12, 1922)

SECTION 1. No person, firm, syndicate, corporation, or institution whatsoever shall operate any factory, workshop, or public establishment in the island of Porto Rico without previously obtaining a license issued by the proper officer of the department of health.

SEC. 2. Except when otherwise provided for in the sanitary regulations, the licenses above mentioned shall be issued annually. They shall be displayed in a conspicuous position in the factory, workshop, or public establishment.

SEC. 3. Besides, other details required by the regulations, licenses shall contain the following information: (a) The name of the person, firm, syndicate, corporation, or institution owning the factory, workshop or public establishment; (b) number of license; (c) date of issue; (d) description of the site where the premises are located; (e) signature of the officer issuing the license.

SEC. 4. No license shall be issued until the proper officer has made an inspection of the factory, workshop, or public establishment to determine the cleanliness and sanitary conditions required by the regulations which are in force, or which may be put into force from time to time.

SEC. 5. The commissioner of health is hereby authorized to revoke licenses granted for the installation of factories, workshops, or public establishments in case of failure to observe in them any provisions of the regulations governing them if, after due notice has been given, the owner fails to correct such differences within the reasonable time which may be prescribed, and a new license will be granted as soon as the requirements are complied with.

SEC. 6. When the person to whom the license has been granted desires to change or discontinue the business, he shall notify, without loss of time, the proper officer of the department of health. In case of change, a new visit of inspection shall be made to determine whether a new license is necessary, case of discontinuance the license will be canceled.

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SEC. 7. When in the judgment of the proper officer of the department of health it shall be deemed necessary, the employees of factories, workshops, or public establishments will provide themselves with health certificates in the form indicated in sanitary regulation No. 38.

SEC. 8. For the purpose of this regulation those public establishments of speculative, recreative, and informative order are included.

SEC. 9. Any person, corporation, or institution which shall violate any of the dispositions of this regulation shall be punished with a fine of not less than $1 and not more than $100 or with imprisonment from 1 to 30 days, or with both penalties, at the discretion of the court.

Urbanization of Lands-Sanitary Requirements. (Sanitary Regulation No. 72, Promulgated Feb. 23, 1922)

SECTION 1. Before proceeding to the urbanization of lands in the island of Porto Rico, municipalities, corporations, owners, or their representatives, shall apply for permission to the insular commissioner of health, said application to be accompanied by a plan in triplicate showing the condition of the soil, situation, street plan, permanent level of such streets, plazas, water supply, disposal of discharges from water-closets, and removal of garbage. Upon approval of said plans one copy shall be filed in the office of the insular sanitary engineer, another shall be filed with the local health officer, and the third shall be the property of the applicant.

Said plans shall be acted upon within a maximum period of 90 days after their presentation, and the work shall be begun within a year after approval of the plans. SEC. 2. The lands to be urbanized should be naturally dry and healthy, but if they are marshy or damp, or if they have previously been used as a dumping place for garbage or for any industrial products injurious to health, or as a cemetery, or for any building or factory where garbage may have been deposited, they shall first be improved by drainage, drying, or disinfection, as required by circumstances, and no building of any kind except such temporary ones as may be necessary for carrying out said improvements shall be constructed on said lands until the same shall have been made sanitary.

After the lands have been put in proper sanitary condition, the owner thereof shall maintain them in said sanitary condition.

SEC. 3. All streets laid out on said lands shall be at least 10 meters wide, shall run in a straight line except where prevented by justifiable causes, and shall be of the same width throughout their entire length.

Whenever possible, existing streets shall connect directly with all parts of the inhabited territory. Streets to be opened shall be, whenever possible, the prolongation of existing streets, and shall furnish convenient and direct communication with all the other streets of the town.

The lands shall be divided into blocks not exceeding 200 meters in length and not less than 40 meters wide, separated from each other by at least 10 meters, thus forming cross streets which shall conform in every respect to the provisions of these rules and regulations. The slope of the streets shall not be less than 5 millimeters per meter nor less than 10 millimeters when the natural slope of the land will permit. Said streets shall be paved according to the "telford" or "macadam" systems or with dust-proof material and shall be provided with crowns so that the surfaces on either side of the center lines slope toward the edges of the wearing surfaces: Provided, That there may be triangular blocks the base of which shall be 40 meters at a distance of not less than 30 meters from the vertex of the triangle.

In towns, on any improved land, and in villages every newly constructed house or building shall face a street or public highway, except the dependencies of such houses or buildings which may be constructed in the yards thereof, dependencies being understood to mean, for the purposes of this article, servants' quarters, kitchen, laundry, coach house, garage, etc. In the case of industrial or commercial establishments, the area occupied by such industrial or commercial dependencies shall not exceed 50 per cent of the area of the main building. SEC. 4. All streets shall be provided with sidewalks proportionate to their width, those that are 10 meters having sidewalks 1 meters wide on either side, those 15 meters in width having sidewalks that are 2.50 meters wide, and those that are 20 or more meters in width having sidewalks 3 meters wide.