Chapter 355. For the prevention of venereal diseases in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 355.— An Act For the prevention of venereal diseases in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. February 26, 1925.[[H. R. 491](/us/bill/68/hr/491).][[Public, No. 494](/us/pl/43/494).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, * That the chief District of Columbia.Venereal diseases.Hospital, etc., officer to report at once any case in an inmate.administrative officer of every hospital, dispensary, sanitarium, and of every penal institution shall report any case of venereal disease in an inmate or other person under the supervision or surveillance of such officer immediately upon becoming aware of such fact.
Sec. 2. That the judge of the juvenile court and the judge of Report by juvenile or criminal judge of a probable case in court.any court of criminal jurisdiction, when any person is brought before him for trial or investigation, who believes and has reasonable grounds to believe that any such person is afflicted with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid, shall immediately report said fact to the health officer as herein provided. Sec. 3. That the report herein required shall state in writing Details required.the disease from which the person is suffering, his name, age, sex, color, occupation, marital state, and address.
Sec. 4. That the health officer and his authorized representatives Ascertaining source of infection directed.shall use every available means to ascertain the existence of and to investigate all cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid of which they have or may receive information and to ascertain the sources of such infection. Sec. 5. That it shall be the duty of the health officer or of a Medical examination of presumed infection.physician authorized to practice medicine in the District of Columbia who shall also be so directed by the health officer to make a thorough medical examination of persons whom the health officer has reasonable grounds to believe are afflicted with a venereal disease in a form likely to be a source of infection to others, but no such medical examination shall be made against the consent of any such person unless under order of court as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 6. That whenever the health officer has reasonable grounds Action of court to require examination if refused.to believe that any person is afflicted with a venereal disease in a form likely to be a source of infection to others, and said person refuses to submit to said medical examination it is the duty of said health officer to file an affidavit before any judge of the police court or the judge of any court having criminal jurisdiction setting out that he believes, and has reasonable grounds to believe, that said person, giving his name and address, is afflicted with a venereal disease in a form likely to be a source of infection to others, and that said person refuses to submit to said examination.
There upon it shall be the duty of said court or judge thereof to forth with order said person to appear before said health officer for medical examination. The said court and the judge thereof shall issue an order in writing, setting out the time and place for said person to appear for such medical examination. Said order shall be in duplicate and served by the officers of said court upon said accused person, and upon the failure of said person so notified to appear Failure punishable as contempt.and submit to said examination at the time specified he shall be punished as provided for in case of those guilty of contempt of court, in addition to being subject to the penalties provided in this Act.
Sec. 7. That prostitutes and all persons convicted of any sexual Presumption of infection in prostitutes, etc.crime, such as fornication, adultery, and other offenses, and all procurers, bawdyhouse keepers, and similar persons shall be presumed to be a source of infection and shall be subjected to medical examination under the provisions of this Act. Sec. 8. That the chief health officer is authorized and shall be Means to be employed for preventing spread of disease.required to employ and to adopt for the protection of public health all such regulatory measures as may be necessary to prevent the spread of these communicable diseases. 1002 Sec. 9.
Violating rules of health officer, unlawful. That it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly violate the rules promulgated by the said health officer for the prevention of the spread of venereal disease by persons suffering from such disease. Said rules shall remain in force until terminated by said health officer. Sec. 10. Treatment by physician in good standing allowed. That any person found, under the provisions of this Act, to be afflicted with any of said diseases may consult any physician authorized to practice medicine in the District of Columbia, or any physician in good standing with the State board of health of the Health officer to act in accord.State wherein said physician lives, and said health officer shall act in conjunction with said physician to assure the provision of adequate treatment in accordance with approved medical standards and to prevent the spread of such diseases.
Sec. 11. Advertising medicines to cure, etc., unlawful. That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to advertise within the District of Columbia any medicine or remedy, by means of a prescription or otherwise, for the *Proviso*.Professional periodicals excepted.treatment, cure, or prevention of syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid: *Provided*, This section shall not apply to advertising of drugs in medical trade periodicals or scientific, medical or dental journals, or literature mailed direct to physicians, dentists, hospitals or for those engaged in the sale of drugs and medicinal appliances.
Sec. 12. Sales of cures, etc., without a prescription, unlawful. That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to sell any drug or medicine to any person other than a dealer, druggist, hospital, or physician for the cure or alleviation of syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid without a written order or prescription written for the person for whom the drugs or medicine are to be delivered and signed by a physician authorized to practice medicine in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 13. Isolation, etc., to be advised by attending physician. That any physician who professionally attends any person having syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid shall, in addition to treating these diseases in such persons, advise said person as to the proper means to prevent the spread of said disease, and if necessary shall order him to be so isolated as to prevent spread of such disease, Failure to be reported.and it shall be the duty of said physician, upon the willful failure or refusal of such patient to comply with the directions of said physician to prevent the spread of said disease, to report said person to the health officer as herein prescribed by this Act.
Sec. 14. Requirements if physicians changed during treatment. That any person who is under the treatment of any physician for syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid may from time to time change physicians, but before any physician treating any patient for any of said diseases shall be relieved of the responsibilities imposed in this Act. he shall be furnished with a written acceptance by another physician authorized to practice medicine in the District of Columbia certifying that he will from thereon accept, for treatment, said patient under the provisions of this Act and therefrom said first physician will be relieved of any further responsibility for said patient and the responsibility over said patient shall from that time on be imposed upon the said accepting physician.
Sec. 15. Pamphlet of instructive information, etc., to be prepared. That there shall be prepared by the chief health officer a circular stating in a general way the nature of said diseases, the dangers therefrom, their communicable character, and the proper care to be taken to prevent their spread; and said pamphlet shall also advise that the health officer will from time to time examine any person so afflicted, both for the purpose of determining the existence of any of the said diseases and whether or not such person Distribution.may still be a source of infection to others.
Said health officer shall so distribute said pamphlets or circulars as to disseminate the knowledge therein contained to the public, and it shall be the duty of every practicing physician in charge of any person being treated for 1003any of said diseases to furnish said patient with said pamphlet or circular furnished by said health officer. Sec. 16. That every physician practicing medicine in the District Practicing physicians to report any case coming for treatment.of Columbia shall report to the health officer within ten days any case of syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid which he has been employed to treat, but said report shall be used for statistical and public health purposes and shall in no event disclose to any but the health officer or his duly authorized agents the identity of the person so treated except under the conditions in this Act provided.
Sec. 17. That whenever any person is found under the provisions Free medical treatment for persons unable to pay.of this Act to be suffering with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid, and said person is without means to employ a physician or without means with which to purchase suitable drugs and medicine for the treatment thereof, said person shall be under the control of the Board of Health of the District of Columbia, who shall provide for the medical care thereof as in other cases of communicable diseases of indigent persons.
It shall be the duty whenever such cases come to the knowledge of any practicing physician immediately to report such cases to the health officer. Sec. 18. That whenever any duty is imposed by this Act upon Parents or guardians to on force compliance by minors.any person, and the person upon whom such duty is imposed or would ordinarily fall is a minor child, then the parents or guardian of such minor child, and, if such minor child have no parent or guardian, the person having him in charge, shall enforce compliance by him with all the requirements of this Act: *Provided*, That if such *Proviso*.Responsibility of minor if of answerable age.minor child has attained the age when he is answerable to the criminal laws for his acts, the responsibility herein imposed upon his parents or guardian shall not relieve such minor child of responsibility on his own account.
Sec. 19. That no person knowing that he is suffering from a Classes of work prohibited by persons with infectious disease.venereal disease in a form likely to be a source of infection to others shall work as a barber, masseur, cook, baker, or other producer or handler of food or drink or in any profession, trade, or occupation in which by reason of the disease from which he is suffering the public health is endangered, nor shall any such person be employed or permitted to work in such occupation.
Sec. 20. That whenever any word of masculine gender appears in Application to both sexes.this Act it shall be construed to include the corresponding word of the feminine gender. Sec. 21. That any person who violates any of the provisions of Punishment for violations.this Act shall, on conviction thereof, be punished for the first offense by a fine not exceeding $100, and for the second or any subsequent offenses by a fine not exceeding $300, or by imprisonment in the workhouse for not exceeding sixty days, or by both such fines and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
Approved, February 26, 1925.