CHAP. 397.—An ACT to authorize counties and cities to establish sanatoria
for the care of persons suffering from tuberculosis.
(S. B. 194.)

Approved March 20, 1916.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, When-
ever a petition is presented to the circuit court of any county
or corporation court of any city signed by a number of qualified
voters equal to fifteen per centum of those voting at the last pre-
ceding general election, who are resident freeholders of such
county or city, setting forth the desirability of establishing
therein a sanatorium for residents of the same who are suffer-
ing from tuberculosis, said court shall order a special vote,
which may be held on any regular election day, for the determi-
nation of the question whether such sanatorium shall be es-
tablished.

2. The manner of calling and holding such election shall be
the same as that for calling and holding elections as to the
issuance of county and city bonds and the qualifications of voters
at such elections shall be the same as those entitled to vote at
elections on the question of issuing bonds.

3. Special ballots shall be used at such election upon which
shall be printed “For Sanatorium” and “Against Sanatorium”
and the voters shall indicate their preference by erasing the
words which do not represent their views.

4. If a majority of the voters voting at such election shall
be in favor of the establishment of such sanatorium, then the
opoard of supervisors of the county or the council or other gov-
arning body of the city shall levy a tax to procure a sum suffi-
cient to establish said sanatorium, which shall be erected and
maintained for such county or city, in such location and under
such management as shall be chosen by the board of health of
such county or city. The board of health shall have the right
to lease or purchase such grounds and buildings, apparatus and
supplies as in their judgment may be necessary to establish and
equip such sanatorium and shall in all respects have full man-
agement and control of the property and persons employed in
the maintenance and operation of the sanatorium, and said
board, with the concurrence of circuit court by proper decree
entered, may sell land and building bought for this purpose and
buy others.

5. The board of health of such county or city shall have the
right to call upon the State board of health for expert examina-
tion of locations and buildings and advice as to the construction
and equipment of all structures to be used in the work of the
institution.

6. The board of health of such county or city shall adopt
regulations for the admission of patients, fixing the amounts to
be contributed by them to their care and treatment and shall
have the right to provide for the care and treatment of such as
may be unable to make such contribution.

7. If two or more counties, or a city and one or more coun-
ties, or a county and one or more cities in any judicial circuit in
this State shall at the same time, or different times, vote for
the establishment of a sanatorium in each of said counties and
cities, the board of health of part or all of said cities and coun-
ties may jointly petition the judge of the court to permit the
said counties or cities aforesaid to unite in the establishment of
a sanatorium for persons suffering from tuberculosis in any of
said counties and cities, or to unite in the maintenance of any
sanatorium which may have been established by any one or
more of said counties or cities; and the said Judge or court may
permit the joint maintenance of such sanatorium, and in that
event said judge or court shall appoint in his discretion, not less
than one nor more than three residents of each of the counties
or cities uniting in said petition, who shall constitute the sana-
torium board for such judicial circuit. Said board shall have
all the powers and duties of a city or county board of health as
set forth in sections four, five and six of this act.

In addition, it may receive contributions made by each of
the cities and counties uniting in the establishment or main-
tenance of the said sanatorium from individual societies, or
other sources, and shall be under the general supervision of the
State board of health. All the members of said board shall
hold office for a period of four years from the date of their
appointment and until their successors have qualified. They
shall receive no salary, but the said counties and cities may
make such provisions as they may deem proper for the payment
of the actual expenses of the members of the said board.
8. The board of supervisors of any county and the council
or other governing body of any city or town may unite with
other counties, cities or towns in establishing and maintaining
without the referendum above mentioned, such institutions
which shall thereafter be under the joint management of the
contributing counties, cities or towns in the same manner as
those mentioned in the preceding sections of this act.

9. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are
hereby repealed.