toranda for the Guidance of Railroad Officials, Health Officers, Physicians and Others, RELATIVE TO WHAT ARE iommoDicable Diseases Dangerous to the Pule Health.” With reference especially to Act 45, Laws of 1895 * |8] [Leaflet issued by the Michigan State Board of Health.] TFIRST EDITION DECEMBER 10, 1895.] o properly provide for the transportation of sick persons and dead ies in a manner which will avoid the spread of dangerous communi- le diseases, is an important item in the restriction of such diseases, order to save a little time and avoid effort in giving notice and obtain- permits, it is quite a common occurrence for interested persons to guise the real cause of sickness or of death. angerous communicable diseases often exist, when nothing is done the physician, the householder, or the health officer, for their restric- n, because physicians not only do not always report them to the health cer, but sometimes call these cases by names which are not usually derstood to specify a “disease dangerous to the public health.” Ihe legislature having enacted Act 45, laws of 1895, the State Board of alth has thought it an opportune time to place before railroad officials, 1th officers, physicians, and the people generally, a statement of just at are “communicable diseases dangerous to the public health,” as the ase is in that law; and, as well, a few of the ways in which the public- ,1th interests are being disregarded by unscrupulous persons; and also suggest how the public may be better guarded from such diseases:— ocument No. 226, issued by the Michigan State Board of Health, says: Michigan the most dangerous communicable diseases, named in the er of their importance as causes of deaths, are consumption, pneumonia, uenza,f diphtheria, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, measles, whooping- gh and small-pox.” Cholera is named in the Act 45, laws of 1895. er dangerous communicable diseases are: glanders, rabies, tetanus, hus fever, yellow fever, puerperal fever, erysipelas, cerebro-spinal men- itis, and German measles (sometimes called rotheln). "ost of these dangerous communicable diseases are sometimes called by er names. As examples, consumption is called phthisis, phthisis pulmo- is, tuberculosis, marasmus, etc.; pneumonia is called inflammation of i lungs, lung fever, etc.; influenza is sometimes called grip; diphtheria ailed croup, heart failure, etc.; typhoid fever is called typho-malarial, larial, remittent, etc.; scarlet fever is called scarlatina, canker-rash, etc.; erperal fever is called peritonitis; small-pox is called variola and varioloid; ies is usually called hydrophobia; tetanus is commonly called lock-jaw. Act 45, Laws of 1895, is as follows: act to prevent the introduction of a dangerous communicable disease in any town¬ ship, city or village in Michigan , except under specified regulations. ection 1. The People of the State of Michigan enact, That no person sick with lera, small-pox, diphtheria, scarlet fever or any other communicable disease danger- to the public health, no corpse of a person dead from one of the above-named ases, or from any other communicable disease dangerous to the public health, and irticle which has been infected or is liable to propagate or convey any such disease, 111 come or be brought into any township, city or village in Michigan, without the ial permit of the board of health or of the health officer of said township, city or ge, and then only under the supervision of the health officer of said township, or village. ec. 2. Whoever shall violate the provisions of section one of this act, or the order he health officer made in pursuance thereof, shall, on conviction, be deemed guilty i misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred ars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding three months, or by both 1 fine and imprisonment. pproved March 29,1895. In effect on and after August 30, 1895, Up to the year 1889, influenza caused few deaths in Michigan; but in 1890,1891 and l, the deaths reported from it averaged over 1,000 per year. 077840756 Whenever the cause of sickness or of death is stated as one oi me aboi mentioned diseases or conditions, even if the local physician does cert that it is “not contagious,” the provisions of Act No. 45, laws of 18 ( , and other laws for the restriction of disease should be enforced; also every case of any “fever of doubtful origin continuing more than se'' days,” also in every case of any fever which proves fatal; also in evt case of membranous croup, and any croup which proves fatal. Instances have been reported to this office where an unqualified perg signed the special permit “required by Act 45, Laws of 1895.” Care should taken by every person responsible for the movement of a sick or an infecl person, corpse, or article, that the required “special permit” be signed by official legally qualified to do so. It should be signed by the health ofik Every person responsible for the introduction into any locality oi person sick with a dangerous communicable disease, or a body dead such disease, should give to the health officer of that locality, timely not: of the prospective entry of such person or body, in order that the hea officer may, as the law requires, supervise the entry of such diseased p son or such dead body into his jurisdiction. Sec. 14. The Board of Health may grant permits for the removal of any nuisance, fected article, or sick person within the limits of their township, [city or village,-Act of 1879] when they shall think it safe and proper so to do. §1646, Howell’s Status From this it will be seen that a permit by the board of health for removal of an infected article, dead body, or sick person is good only wit) the limits of the township , city or village in which the permit is grant{ No health officer or board of health should permit the removal another jurisdiction in Michigan of a person sick with or dead froi disease declared by the Michigan State Board of Health to be a “ dise* dangerous to the public health” without first seeing the “special permi of the health officer of the township, city or village to which it is propog to move the sick person or dead body, nor until the health officer of place to which the infected person or body is to go has had such noticej the time of the prospective arrival of the person or body as will enal him to supervise the entry and disposal as the law provides. Every railroad or other transportation agent at the point of destinati of any such sick person or dead body should notify the health officer of locality, or know that he has been notified, of the arrival, and if possil of the prospective arrival of a person or body which under Act 45, L* of 1895, requires the supervision of such health officer. Every railroad agent or other person receiving an application for transportation of any sick person or dead body, should first learn from health officer or other legal health authority of the city, village or toy ship where such application is made, the disease from which the person, suffering or which caused the death of such body. If such sickness death is or has been caused by some disease declared by the Michi^ State Board of Health to be “dangerous to the public health,” such road or other transportation agent should refuse to transport such si person or dead body until by telegram or otherwise a special permit si have been procured from the health officer of the township, city or villf to which such dead body or sick person is sought to be transported. Si railroad or other transportation agent should refuse to transport such si person or dead body until convinced that the health officer of the place destination has had such notice of the prospective entry into his jurist tion as will enable him to supervise its entry, as the law provides. By direction of the State Board of Health. Very respectfully, Office of the Secretary of the TTTT’XT'R'V' davut? Michigan State Board of Health, MxLINxvX x>. Lansing, Mich., Dec. 10, 1895. ' Secretary