Chap. 274.—An ACT to amend and re-enact Section Nineteen-o of an act to provide
a new charter for the City of Richmond, approved March 24, 1926. [S B 294]

Approved March 19, 1942

1. Beit enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That section
nineteen-o of the act entitled an act to provide a new charter for the City
of Richmond, approved March twenty-fourth, nineteen hundred and twen-
ty-six, be amended and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 19-0. To secure the inhabitants from contagious, infectious,
or other dangerous diseases, to establish, erect and regulate hospitals ; to
provide for and force the removal of patients to said hospitals ; to provide
for the appointment and organization of a board of health, with authority
necessary for the prompt and efficient performance of its duties; to au-
thorize the supervision by a city official of the construction and mainten-
ance of all water and sewer pipes, traps or other fixtures, and the con-
struction and maintenance of dry closets in localities where there is no sew-
er available for use, and to require the use of such pipes, traps and other
fixtures and closets deemed proper as sanitary measures by the City
Council, or said board of health or health officer, with power in said board
of health to make rules and regulations concerning the construction and
maintenance of the same and to prescribe and enforce penalties for the
violation of such rules and regulations, and also with power vested in the
Council to provide what compensation shall be paid to the City of Rich-
mond by the owners of property on which are located and maintained
dry closets for the removal of night soil therefrom by the City of Rich-
mond, and the manner of collecting and securing the payment of such
compensation.

The Council shall likewise have power to prescribe the duties of the
coroners of the City of Richmond who may be appointed, as provided by
general law, by the judge of the hustings court, who shall receive such
compensation as may be determined by the Council, in lieu of fees; pro-
vided, such compensation shall not be less than two thousand dollars per
annum. All fees recoverable by general law, out of the estates of decedents,
shall be collected by such coroner or coroners and shall be paid into the
treasury of the city. Each such coroner shall be a physician of not less than
five years standing, and shall also be a chemist. He or they shall hold all
inquests and make all necessary post-mortem examinations without the
assistance of any medical experts, unless such assistance shall be au-
thorized by the Mayor.

The Council shall have the power to abolish the office of coroner and
upon the abolition thereof all the powers of the coroners shall be exer-
cised and all of their duties shall be performed, respectively, by the at-
torney for the Commonwealth within the area of the City lying north of the
south bank of the James River and by the assistant attorney for the Com-
monwealth within the area of the City lying south of the south bank of the
James River. The said officers shall not be required to hold inquests, ex-
cept when they consider that in the interest of the public the same should
be done. They may, subject to authorization by the hustings court or the
hustings court, part two, respectively, employ expert medical assistance
whenever it becomes necessary so to do.

2. An emergency existing, this act shall be in force from its passage.