Chapter 914. For the prevention of scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, and typhoid fever in the District of Columbia
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CHAP. 914.— An Act For the prevention of scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, and typhoid fever in the District of Columbia. February 9, 1907. [[H. R. 16868](/us/bill/59/hr/16868).] [[Public, No. 81](/us/pl/59/81).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That every person in charge District of Columbia.Prevention of certain contagious diseases in.Notification to health officer.of any patient in the District of Columbia who is suffering from diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, or typhoid fever, immediately after becoming aware of the existence of such disease, shall send to the health officer of said District a certificate, written in ink, signed Form of certificate.by such person, stating the name of the disease, the name, age, sex, and color of the person suffering therefrom, and the school which he or she has attended, if any, and setting forth by street and number, or by other sufficient designation, the location of the house, room, or other place in which said patient can be found.
When said patient Written notice in case of death.recovers, or dies, said person in charge, as soon as possible thereafter, shall send to the health officer of said District a certificate, written in ink, certifying to that fact. But no person shall certify knowingly or Certificate of recovery.negligently that any patient has recovered from any disease aforesaid until such patient is in such condition as to be free from danger of communicating the disease from which he is suffering to other persons. 890 Sec. 2.
Persons required to give notice. The term “person in charge of any patient,” as used in tins Act, shall be held to mean, first, each physician in attendance on, called in to visit, or examining a patient, unless called in to visit or examining the patient solely as a consultant to a physician already in attendance; second, in the absence or disability of any physician aforesaid, or in event of default on the part of such physician, the head of the family to which the patient belongs; third, in the absence or disability of such person, or in event of default on the part of the physician aforesaid, the nearest relative or relatives of such patient present on the premises and in attendance on such patient; fourth, in the absence or disability of all persons aforesaid, or in event of default on the part of the physician aforesaid, every person in attendance on such patient.
And in the eases of physicians and of persons acting in the capacity of physicians, attending, visiting, or examining any patient suffering from any disease aforesaid shall be prima facie evidence that any person so doing was aware of the nature of such disease. Sec. 3. Penalty for violation. That any person who violates or aids or assists in violating any of the provisions of this Act shall be punished, upon conviction thereof, by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or by imprisonment Prosecutions.for not more than thirty days.
Prosecutions under this Act shall be in the police court of the District of Columbia on information signed by the corporation counsel of said District or by one of his assistants. Sec. 4. Regulations. That the Commissioners of the District of Columbia be, and they are hereby, authorized to make such regulations as th ey deem necessary for the prevention of the spread of diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, and typhoid fever, and to affix to such regulations such penalties as in the judgment of said Commissioners are necessary to secure compliance therewith.
Sec. 5. Effect in 60 days. That this Act shall take effect from and after sixty days after its passage, and from and after the expiration of said period an Vol. 26, p. 691, repealed.Act entitled “ An Act to prevent the spread of scarlet fever and diphtheria in the District of Columbia,” approved December twentieth, Vol. 32. p. 3, repealed.eighteen hundred and ninety, and an Act entitled “An Act to require cases of typhoid fever occurring in the District of Columbia, to be reported to the health department of said District.” approved February fourth, nineteen hundred and two, and all other Acts and parts of Acts contrary to the provisions of this Act, or inconsistent therewith, Enforcement of regulations, etc.be, and the same are hereby, repealed; and any money available at the time of said repeal for the execution and enforcement of the Acts named be, and hereby is, made available for the execution and enforcement of the provisions of this Act and of regulations made by authority thereof; but for any act done or omitted in violation of the provisions of either of the Acts named above prior to the repeal of said Acts prosecutions may be instituted, and if already instituted may be continued, in accordance with the provisions of said Acts, notwithstanding that said Act has been repealed for all purposes other than the institution and the continuance of such prosecutions.
Approved, February 9, 1907.