PENNSYLVANIA.

Venereal Diseases-Circular of Information to Be Furnished Patient-Quarantine-Notices in Public Toilets-Precautions by Health Authorities to Prevent Spread. (Reg. Advisory Bd., June 21, 1918.)

First. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and chancroid are infectious diseases, highly dangerous to the public health, and a special menace to the military organizations of the United States in the time of war; therefore, it is the duty of the State department of health and all public health authorities to adopt and enforce every precaution consistent with existing laws to prevent the spread of the infection therefrom.

Second. The commissioner of health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is hereby authorized to prepare and furnish to the practicing physicians of the Commonwealth circulars of instructions advising persons afflicted with any of the said diseases as to what precautions must be taken in order to prevent communication of the disease to others.

Third. It is hereby declared the duty of every physician when first attending any person afflicted with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid to deliver to such person one of the circulars of information and instructions furnished him by the commissioner of health for the disease with which such person is afflicted.

Fourth. Any person suffering with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid to whom a circular of instructions has been delivered who shall willfully fail, neglect, or refuse to practice the precautions provided in said circular is hereby declared to be a menace to the public health, and the State department of health or any local board or department of health is hereby authorized and directed to place such person under quarantine together with the premises on which he or she may have been found and to continue such quarantine until a certificate of recovery or noninfectiousness signed by a practicing physician is furnished for such case to the said health authorities, such quarantine to be established and maintained in the same manner that quarantine is established and maintained for other communicable diseases in accordance with the provisions of the act of assembly of May 28, 1915.

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Fifth. The commissioner of health is hereby authorized and directed to post notices in all public toilets in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania warning the public of the danger from venereal diseases and the necessity for prompt and proper treatment, such notices to be supplemented wherever possible by direc tions as to where and at what periods free treatment may be had at a genitourinary dispensary of the department of health or other free dispensary.

Sixth. All persons are hereby notified and cautioned that the said notices provided for in the above regulation are placed in public toilets in accordance with a rule and regulation of the State department of health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that any person or persons who shall mutilate, deface, or destroy any such notice will be by so doing violating a rule and regulation of the State department of health, and will be subject to the penalties provided by the act of assembly of April 27, 1905, for such violation.

Pub. Health Repts. Reprint 338, p. 438.

Antityphoid Vaccine-Appropriation for Preparation and Free Distribution of, Among Physicians. (No. 2743, Act Feb. 18, 1918.)

SECTION 1. The sum of 5,000 pesos is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be disbursed under the direction of the Public Welfare Board of the Philippine Islands for the preparation of antityphoid vaccine and the free distribution thereof among the duly qualified physicians of the Philippine Islands, under regulations to be prescribed for this purpose, as a means of combating typhoid fever. The Philippine Health Service shall recommend the method of preparation of said antityphoid vaccine and the bureau of science shall direct its preparation. “Tiquitiqui” Extract-Manufacture and Distribution of, to Combat Infantile Beriberi-Appropriation. (No. 2744, Act Feb. 18, 1918.)

SECTION 1. The sum of 8,000 pesos is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by the Public Welfare Board for the Philippine Islands for the acquisition of the necessary apparatus, and, in general, for the manufacture of the liquid extract of bran commonly known as "tiquitiqui," and for its free distribution among the indigent classes of the Philippine Islands, in accordance with regulations to be prescribed for this purpose, as a means of combating the disease of infantile beriberi. The board of directors of the Philippine National League for the Protection of Early Infancy shall recommend the method of preparation of said extract of bran and the bureau of science shall direct its manufacture.

SEC. 2. In case there is no extract of bran to be had in the market, the sec retary of the interior may authorize the sale of said remedy at the cost of production, plus the proportional expenses of preparing and dispatching the same, to any person requiring it by reason of a medical prescription.

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PORTO RICO.

Communicable Diseases-Notification of Cases. (Proclamation Apr. 2, 1918.) ARTICLE 1. Article 2 of sanitary rules and regulations No. 43, as amended by sanitary rules and regulations No. 51, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: ART. 2. All persons who legally practice medicine, or any of its branches in Porto Rico, shall notify the sanitary officials of the district, within five days after the first visit on the patient, of the suspicion or of the existence of any case of the following diseases:

ART. 2. All rules and regulations or ordinances in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed, and any infringement of the provisions of these rules and regulations shall be punished in accordance with section 33 20 of the law of sanitation approved March 14, 1912.

Births Registration of Those Not Previously Registered. (Act 18, Mar. 11, 1918.)

SECTION 1. That the term of one year is hereby granted, counting from the day on which this act is approved, for registration in the proper registry of such births of children as for any reason shall not have been registered in any of the civil registers of the island.

SEC. 2. That the registration of births provided for in the preceding section shall be made in accordance with the provisions and requirements of the law of civil registry and with the rules and regulations for the execution of said act at present in force: Provided, however, That for the purpose of making said registrations it shall be sufficient to file with the keeper of the civil register an affidavit explaining the reasons why the registration was not made in due time, and further stating that the child was born in Porto Rico and that its birth was not registered in any registry of the island. Said affidavit may be made by the father, mother, or guardian of the child whose registration is sought. In default of such persons the affidavit may be made by any relative or person having the child under his care, and the keeper of the civil register shall charge no fee for making said registration.

SEC. 3. That any provisions of the law of civil registry in conflict herewith are hereby suspended for a term of one year from the date of the approval of this act, but shall be in full force and effect upon the expiration of such term.

SEC. 4. That this act shall take effect 90 days after its approval.

Pub. Health Repts. Reprint 200, p. 185.

Cemeteries-May Be Closed by Commissioner of Health. (Proclamation Mar. 15, 1918.)

ARTICLE 1. That article 26 of sanitary regulation No. 11, on the removal of corpses, cemeteries, burials, etc., shall be worded to read in the following form: ART. 26. The commissioner of health may order the closure of any cemetery when it has become dangerous to the health of the inhabitants of the municipal district or of the surrounding country: Provided, however, That in said closed cemeteries, burials shall be permitted in tombs and niches already in existence provided they are constructed in accordance with the requirements of the de partment of health; but such burials shall not be made in said tombs and niches, whether public or private property, when cemeteries are within a distance of less than 200 meters from the urban zone or when urban extension brings them within such distance. With these exceptions all burials or excavations in closed cemeteries are prohibited.

Plumbers-Classification-Examination and Licensing. (Proclamation Apr. 2, 1918.)

ARTICLE 1. Articles 9 and 9a of sanitary rules and regulations No. 7 25 amended by sanitary rules and regulations No. 27, are hereby amended so as to read as follows:

ART. 9. For the purpose of unifying the trade of “plumbing," from and after January 1, 1919, there shall be but one class or grade of plumbers who shail have the same knowledge of the trade, identical rights, and equal responsibilities. and for the exercise of the said trade only one class of license shall be issued, which shall bear the word "plumber," and the issuance of licenses of the three classes to master plumbers, journeymen plumbers, and apprentice plumbers shal be discontinued: Provided, That those persons who are included within the last two classes shall be afforded the right and the opportunity until January 1, 1919, to prepare themselves to take the examination for plumber which may at that time be required: Provided, however, That from and after said date such journeymen and apprentice plumbers who shall allow such date to pass without having taken the required examination, shall only be permitted to work as subordinate assistants to plumbers, without being permitted under any circumstance to work or perform any plumbing work for their own account and on their own initiative.

ART. 9a. Wherever the words master plumber, journeyman plumber, or apprentice plumber are used they shall be substituted by the word “plumber” and it shall lie within the jurisdiction of such a plumber to comply with all the specifie cations or requirements belonging to each and every class now existing, and all the duties of each of said classes shall be deemed to be the joint duties of the plumber: And, provided, further, That the examination of the last named class which will take place on January 1, 1919, and thereafter from time to time, applicants will be required to have an eighth grade school certificate, and to pass a theoretical and a practical examination pursuant to the program to be at that time prepared by the examining board, which from and after the sad date shall be constituted as follows: The commissioner of health, or such person as may be designated by him; the sanitation engineer, and a plumber who sha l act as secretary.

Provided, That the commissioner of health shall hereafter impose a penalty pursuant to the provisions of this regulation, upon such plumbers as shall fail to direct and execute plumbing work, the plans for which shall have been subscribed by them.

ART. 2. Articles 96 and 9c of sanitary rules and regulations No. 7, 45 amended by sanitary rules and regulations No. 27, are hereby repealed.

RHODE ISLAND.

Ophthalmia Neonatorum-Notification of Cases-Prevention. (Ch. 1641, Act Apr. 19, 1918.)

SECTION 1. Section 25 of chapter 343 of the general laws, entitled "Of offenses against the person," as amended by chapter 1081" of the public laws, passed at the January session, A. D. 1914, is hereby amended so as to read as follows: SEC. 25. That any diseased condition of the eye or eyes of any infant in which there is inflammation, redness, swelling, or any unnatural discharge at any time within two weeks after birth, shall for the purpose of this act be deemed to be ophthalmia neonatorum.

It shall be the duty of any physician, midwife, nurse, parent, or any other person or persons assisting any woman in childbirth or assisting in the care of any infant to report within 12 hours after noting the same, any such case of ophthalmia neonatorum coming to his or her attention, to the local health officer of the city or town within which the mother of such infant shall have been at the time of confinement.

It shall be the duty of the attending physician, midwife, nurse, or other person in attendance on a confinement case to use such prophylactic treatment for the prevention of blindness among new born children in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the State board of health.

It shall be the duty of physicians, midwives, and such other persons as may be lawfully engaged in the practice of obstetrics or assisting at childbirths to inform parents or guardians of the serious nature and consequences of this disease and to advise the use of prophylactic measures designated by the State board of health.

For the purpose of this act, midwives, who previously have not been permitted to use medicinal agents under any conditions, may employ the approved prophylactic of the State board of health, with the consent of the parent or guardian.

SEC. 2. Section 26 of chapter 343 of the general laws, as amended by chapter 1081 of the public laws, passed at the January session, A. D. 1914, is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

SEC. 26. It shall be the duty of the local health officer to investigate each case of ophthalmia neonatorum, and the health officer shall be required to report all such cases and their results to the State board of health.

It shall be the duty of the State board of health to enforce the provisions of this act; to provide a prophylactic agent for free distribution, together with proper directions for the use of the same; to publish and distribute information concerning the dangers and prevention of ophthalmia neonatorum; and to bring all violations of the law to the attention of the attorney general.

SEC. 3. Section 27 of chapter 343 of the general laws is hereby amended so as to read as follows:

SEC. 27. The failure of any person mentioned in section 25 of this chapter to report any and all cases of ophthalmia neonatorum, as herein directed, or the failure or refusal of any person or institution herein mentioned, to obey any

Pub. Health Repts. Reprint 279, p. 160.

180482°-20-22

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