Chap. 91.—An ACT to Establish a State Board of Health.

Approved February 138, 1872.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That the governor
shall appoint seven physicians, three from the city of Richmond
and the other four from different sections of the State, who
shall constitute the State Board of Health and vital statistics.
The physicians so appointed shall hold their offices for four
years, and until their successors are appointed; and all vacan-
cies in the board shall be filled by the governor.

2. The State Board of Health shall place themselves in
communication with the local boards of health, the hospitals,
acyiams and public institutions throughout the state, and shall |

e cognizance of the interests of health and life among the
citizens generally. They shall make sanitary investigations
and inquiries respecting the causes of disease, especially of
epidemics and endemics, the sources of mortality among the
whites and the blacks, and the effects of localities, employ-
ments, conditions and circumstances on the public health ; and
they shall gather such information in respect to these matters
as they may deem proper for diffusion among the people.
They shall devise some scheme whereby medical and vital sta-
tistics of sanitary value may be obtained, and act as an ad-
visory board to the state in all hygienic and medical matters,
especially such as relate to the location, construction, sewerage
and administration of prisons, hospitals, asylums, and other
public institutions. They shall, at each annual session of the
legislature, make a report of their doings, investigations and
discoveries, with such suggestions as to the legislative action
required as they may deem proper.

3. It shall be the duty of the board, and they are hereby
mstructed to examine into and to report what, in their best
judgment, is the effect of the use of intoxicating liquor as a
beverage, upon the industry, happiness, health and lives of the
citizens of the state; and also what legislation, if any, is neces-
sary in the premises.

4. The board shall meet at the capitol of the state at least
once in every three months, and as much oftener as they may
deem proper. The first meeting shall be held at the capitol at
the expiration of one week after their appointment, or as soon
thereafter as practicable, and three members shall always con-
stitute a quorum for business. They shall elect from their
own number a president and a permanent secretary ; the latter
shall reside at the capital, and shall be their executive officer.

5. The secretary shall perform and superintend the work
prescribed in this act, and shall perform such other duties as
the board may require. He shall also furnish the legislature,
when in session, such information cognate to this act as from
time to time they may deem necessary : provided, that the said
board of health shall not in any way be a charge upon the

6. This act shall take effect and be in force from its passage.