HARRY HUGHES, Governor

1557

disease dangerous to the public health, he shall immediately
report such notice to the local board of health, and upon
obtaining the approval of such local board of health
investigate the matter and take all proper steps for the
restriction or suppression of such disease or diseases; and
the local boards of health shall incur and pay, as other
expenses are paid, the necessary and legitimate expenses
thereof; he shall promptly notify the [Director of the State
Board of Health] SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE of
the existence of any epidemic or unusual sickness or
mortality that [may come] EXISTS IN THE COUNTY OR A
CONTIGUOUS COUNTY AND COMES to his knowledge [within his own
sanitary jurisdiction or contiguous thereto,] and when thus
informed, it shall be the duty of the [Director of the State
Board of Health] SECRETARY to cooperate with and aid the
local health authorities in making scientific and practical
investigation into the cause or causes of any existing
disease, and in devising the most efficient means for its
restriction or suppression or for the exclusion of any
threatened disease, and to take such steps as may be
necessary to prevent the spread of such disease or diseases;
and to this end he may exercise all the powers of the [State
Board of Health] SECRETARY.

53.

Any physician called to attend a person suffering with
any disease embraced within the provisions of § 52 of this
article shall have the power to exercise all the powers
conferred by said section upon the health officers of the
several counties to restrict or suppress such disease or
diseases until the health officer of the county wherein said
disease may occur shall investigate the matter as directed
in § 52. Said attending physician may exercise said power
without securing the prior approval of the board of health
of the county; but said power shall be exercised only during
the emergency existing until the [county] health officer
shall make his investigation, and immediately upon said
investigation, the power hereby conferred upon the attending
physician shall cease. This section shall not apply to
Baltimore City.

55.

When any [local] health officer is of the opinion that
the cleansing and disinfecting of any house or part thereof,
and of articles therein would tend to prevent or check
infectious diseases, it shall be the duty of such health
officer to cause such house or parts thereof and articles to
be cleansed and disinfected; and the [city, town or] county
in which such house is situated shall defray the expenses
thereof.

Any [local] health officer may direct the disinfection
or destruction of any bedding, clothing or other articles
which have been exposed to infection from any dangerous
infectious disease; provided that when any person sustains