REVIEW OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORK IN INDIANA. 233 



The Health Laws of Indiana. 



The first health law passed in 1881 and already referred to, was amended 

 in 1891 and made less effective for the amendment modified the clause com- 

 manding the reporting of infectious diseases, deaths and births, so that it 

 had little force. In 1909 the original health law was again amended and made 

 better, indeed very much better in many respects. Through amendment, 

 the vital statistics part was left out entirely and an entirely neAv vital 

 statistics law written and passed, however, the said vital statistics law was 

 not passed until 1913. 



In 1903 tne quarantine law was passed. This law was written principally 

 by an attorney, who was a member of the legislature, and who had had small 

 pox. He felt aggrieved at the way he had been treated under the health law 

 and therefore was interested in what he termed "A Sensible Quarantine LaAv." 



The law referring to public nuisances defining such and setting forth how 

 they should be abolished Avas passed in 1914. The Sanitary School House 

 law, a most excellent statute requiring that all school houses built after its 

 passage should be sanitary was passed in 1911. The Medical School Inspec- 

 tion law which gave to school authorities the power and right to institute 

 medical inspection of school children Avas passed in 1911. In this same year 

 (1911) the laAv intended to prevent bUndness among infants, Avhich Avas called 

 ophthalmia neonatorum was passed. So called Hydrophobia law which 

 diverted part of the dog tax for Pasteur treatment was passed in 1911. The 

 Sterilization law was passed in 1907, as also was the Anti-toxin law. The 

 Sterilization laAv provides for the sterilization of confirmed criminals, idiots, 

 rapists and imbeciles. The Anti-toxin law as its name implies provided for 

 the free distribution of anti-toxin among the poor. The Anti-Rat law in- 

 tended to lessen the number of rats, both for economic and pubUc health 

 reasons, was passed in 1913. This same year (1913) the Public Water 

 Supply law was passed. Also the Public Playgrounds law. In 1915 the legis- 

 lature enacted the present Anti-Tuberculosis law. This law was written by 

 a man who called himself a wall-paper cleaner and was passed Avithout 

 difficulty through the legislature after a Avise comprehensive bill prepared by 

 the State Board of Health and the State Anti-Tuberculosis Society had been 

 almost insultingly "turned doAvn." There is very little in this law that de- 

 serves commendation. The Drug Sample law was passed in 1907. Its intent 

 being to prevent the free distribution of drug samples, which so frequently 

 resulted in the poisoning of children. Children ate the sugar coated samples, 

 thinking they were candy. The Pure Food Drug law Avas first enacted in 

 1899. The State Board of Health first presented the law in 1897, Avhen it 

 was rejected, almost unanimously by the legislature. The first pure food law 

 had no provisions for enforcement and it was not until 1905 that a Laboratory 

 of Hygiene was given to the State Board of Health for the enforcement of the 

 Pure Food LaAv and also for makiug Baderiological Patliological examina- 

 lions aud studies in the interest of the public health. In 1907, the Pure Food 



