REGULATIONS OF BOARD OF HEALTH
The Committee appointed by the BOARD OF HEALTH to frame a code of Regulations for the government of the Health Inspector, beg leave to submit the accompanying RULES for the revision of the Board. (dated 29 May 1858).
We may first state that, in the absence of statistical information on the duties of Health Inspector during the period of ordinary health in Cities, our suggestions emanate only from our own ideas of means that most likely, under existing circumstances, to prevent contagious or infectious diseases from arising in the most unhealthy localities of this City, and therefore may be considered imperfect.
Your Committee, convinced of the baneful effects of “over-crowding” as may be inferred from the various reports on Cholera and other Epidemics, would particularly draw the attention of the Board to that cause of poisoning the Atmosphere in the habitations of the poor, and although our City is comparatively free from such scenes of misery as may be witnessed daily in some of the large Cities of the Mother Country. Yet we have reason to believe that occasionally half a dozen families may be found in one House in Halifax, not capable of containing pure air for half a dozen individuals. We are of opinion that the return defined in the Third Section of the Rules will be valuable, not only as a registry to enable the Board to hunt out disease from its lurking place, but for the purpose of guarding those who may now, or at some future time, build Houses, against an evil which we fear is but little understood in the community. We allude to the fact that two distinct privies should exist in every House, and every Boarding House should be legally bound to have them – one for males and the other for females. Delicacy often prevents both the sexes from availing themselves of the calls of nature, and many instances have occurred in which the injury done was irremediable.
FIRST.
It shall be the duty of the Health Inspector to visit every Dwelling House, and every part or place in the City to which the directions and regulations of the Board of Health extend, at least three times every year; commencing not sooner than the 1st April, nor ending later than the 31st October in each year; and should any Dwelling House, part or place thus visited, be in such a filthy and unwholesome condition as to be a nuisance to, or injurious to the health of any person, or where upon any premises or part or place aforesaid, there is any foul and offensive drain, ditch, gutter, privy, cesspool, or ashpit, or any drain, ditch gutter, cesspool or ashpit kept or constructed so as to be a nuisance to, or injurious to the health of any person; or where, upon any such premises, swine, or any accumulation of dung, manure, offal, filth, refuse, or other matter or thing is kept, so as to be a nuisance to, or injurious to the health of any person; or where upon such premises, being a building used wholly or in part as a Dwelling House, or being premises underneath any such building, any animal is kept, so as to be a nuisance to, or injurious to the health of any person, the Health Inspector, first having consulted (in doubtful cases) the City Medical Officer, shall give notice to the owner or occupier, and even persons having the care or ordering of such Dwelling House, or of the premises where the nuisance or matter injurious to health may be, to cleanse, white wash, or otherwise purify, as the case may require, such Dwelling House or building, or abate or remove the nuisance or matter injurious to health as aforesaid. [W]ith all reasonable speed, after the date of said notice, or after the nuisance or matter injurious to health shall have arisen.
SECOND.
The Health Inspector shall make out and present to the Chairman of the Board of Health, at least three reports every year, in which all the particulars of his three visits shall be embodied. The first report to be submitted on the 2d June, the 2d August, and the 3d on the 25th day of September.
THIRD.
It shall be incumbent on the Health Inspector, once every year, to make a return to the Board of all Boarding Houses in the City, with the number of the House, the name of the street included – the number of premises adjoining and belonging thereto – whether the privies or water closets communicate with any of the main drains – whether the access to the privy for the removal of the night soil be easy or difficult.
FOURTH.
It shall be incumbent on the Health Inspector, in his regular or other visits shall report to the City Medical Officer, as soon as possible, after he has discovered over-crowding in any House or Houses, the circumstances of the case or cases.
FIFTH.
The Health Inspector may at any time attend to the directions of the City Medical Officer, in the matters pertaining to the sanitary state of the City, without the immediate sanction of the Board, but not contrary to any resolution of the Board of Health. All of which is respectfully submitted.
Edward Jennings, M.D.
Chairman of the Committee
