III. Under the law the Board elects from its members a Secretary, who is the executive officer of the Board. It is recommended to County Boards of Health that the territory of the Board be divided equally among the medical members of the Board, the calls arising in any territory being investigated first by the member to whom that territory is assigned. IV. It is recommended that the rules of the Board require regular meetings, not less frequent than quarterly, other meetings being called as necessary by the chairman or secretary. The regular meetings should be held at some place within the county, most convenient to a majority of the members, special meetings being held wherever expedient. V. Duties of the Secretary. The secretary should keep the minutes of the meetings, should be the custodian of the records of the Board, and its property, supplies and the like. He should likewise enforce all legal orders of the Board, serve notices, publish regulations, and act as the executive officer of the Board. VI. Duties of Members of the Local Boards. Each member of the local Board should have immediate charge of the territory assigned to him. He should make an inspection of reported nuisances and instruct persons maintaining nuisances to abate same. He should visit the schools of his territory once each month, noting and reporting to the Board failures to observe regulations regarding sanitation. He should investigate all reported epidemics or undue prevalence of disease, reporting the facts to the secretary or to the State Department. VII. It is recommended that as soon as possible after organization the Board appear before the Board of Supervisors and arrange a scale of compensation for the various services to be rendered the county. This may be in the form of an annual fee or of special fees for special services. These fees should include the following items: Inspecting nuisances. Visiting cases of infectious disease for purposes of diagnosis, of quarantine or instruction. Vaccination. Inspection of schools, jails, etc. Disinfection. If the Supervisors and the Board cannot agree on a schedule of compensation, notify the State Department, who will endeavor to adjust the matter. It should be noted in this connection that members of local Health Boards are not ex-officio physicians to the poor or to the jail. These offices are filled under the provisions of other acts. VIII. Quarantine and Isolation. Immediately upon receipt of report of diseases of Class I, listed in Rule 30, the Secretary of the local Board should notify the member in whose territory the disease is reported. The member should visit the case and see that the disease is quarantined in accordance with the regulations of the State Board, the premises placarded and that proper precautions are being observed to prevent its spread. In cases of smallpox, the method of diagnosis is specified by the regulations of the State Board. Violations of quarantine should be reported at once to the Secretary of the local Board. In case of undue or unusual prevalence of any disease of Class II, physicians should follow the procedure outlined in rule 31 without delay. IX. Every health officer should keep on hand two or more of the standard fumigating buckets. These should be purchased by the county in advance and kept on hand. They may be obtained from Powers & Anderson, Richmond, Va.; J. C. Hagan, Pharm., Danville, Va.; The Chemical Supply Co., Richmond, Va.; Thế Alcatraz Co., Richmond, Va. X. Vaccine Virus. Owing to the fact that vaccine virus keeps only a short time, it is recommended that it be ordered as needed, by wire, from the State Department. When smallpox is prevalent in the neighborhood, a small supply should be kept on hand. Virus should be kept in a refrigerator until used. XI. Diphtheria Antitoxin. The State Department has no funds for free supply of antitoxin. It has, however, made arrangements to supply it at the lowest possible cost to the citizens of the State. The Board of Supervisors should be induced to purchase a small supply, enough for every member of the Board of Health to keep a supply on hand, for use when necessary. The usual amount being one 1,000, one 3,000 and one 5,000 unit package for each member. A sufficient supply for the three members costs $11.01. This should be made free to the poor; those able to pay the cost price should do so. This antitoxin may be kept six months, and then if unused may be exchanged for fresh. Physicians should note carefully the new and revised regulations for the distribution of diphtheria antitoxin outlined in the Health Bulletin, September, 1910. Placards, postal cards for contagious disease, reports, etc., will be furnished the Secretary of each local Board for distribution to the other members. XII. The State Department. The State Department of Health stands ready at all times to cooperate with local Boards, to furnish them expert advice and assistance and every aid possible in their work. The policy of the State Department is to leave as much as possible to the local Boards. It will interfere with local conditions only when absolutely necessary, and will support local Boards and their policies wherever possible. DEPARTMENT HEALTH HEALTH BULLETIN Vol. II. NOVEMBER, 1910 No. 11. Diphtheria and Its Without the lessons of modern science, diphtheria is a scourge. With the teachings of recent hygiene, diphtheria has lost its horrors. This Tells the Story. This Bulletin will be sent free to anyone requesting it. Write the Department. Is your name on the mailing list of the Health Bulletin? Have it put there. Entered as second-class matter July 28, 1909, at the post-office at Richmond, Va., under the Act of July 16, 1894. |