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LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAPTER 200.

AN ACT to establish a State Board of Health.

Appoint State

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of

Board of Health

Maryland, That the Governor, by and with the advice

and consent of the Senate, shall appoint five physi-

cians, of whom one shall always be a resident of one

of the counties of the western, and one of the eastern

shore, who shall constitute the State Board of Health;

the physicians so appointed shall hold their office for

two years, and until their successors are appointed,

and all vacancies in the board shall be tilled by the

Governor.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the State Board of

Duties

Health shall take cognizance of the interests of health

and life among the people generally; they shall make

sanitary investigations and inquiries respecting the

causes of diseases, especially of epidemics, the sources

of mortality and the effects of localities, employments,

conditions, and circumstances on the public health,

and they shall gather such information in respect to

these matters as they may deem proper; they shall

devise some scheme whereby medical and vital sta-

tistics of sanitary value may be obtained, and act as

an advisory board to the State in all hygienic and

medical matters ; they shall make special inspections

of public hospitals, prisons, asylums, and other insti-

tutions, when directed by the Governor or the Leg-

islature, and shall at each regular session of the Legis-
lature submit a full report of their acts, in vestigations,.

and discoveries with such suggestions as they may

deem proper.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That the State Board of

Meetings

Health shall meet at least once in every three months,

and as much oftener as they may deem proper ; their

first meeting shall be held within two weeks after

their appointment shall have been made, and three

members shall always constitute a quorum for busi-

ness ; they shall elect from their own number a Pre-

sident and a permanent Secretary, the latter of whom.

shall be the executive officer of the board ; no mem-

ber of the board except the secretary shall receive

any compensation, but the actual travelling expenses