VOL. 1.] BULLETIN. FOR THE WEEK ENDING JUNE 28, 1879. WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE 28, 1879. ANNOUNCEMENT. The first number of the "NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH BULLETIN," published under act of Congress approved June 2, 1879, is herewith presented. It is proper to state that the greater portion of the mortuary statistics, together with the notes from consular reports, were obtained for this number of the BULLETIN from the Surgeon General of the United States Marine Hospital Service, whose duty it has been under a former act of Congress (April 29, 1878) to obtain and publish the same. The first number of the original Bulletin of the Public Health," issued under the Act referred to, was published by the late Surgeon-General Jno. M. Woodworth, July 13, 1878, and the last number by Surgeon-General John B. Hamilton, (his successor in office,) May 26, 1879. 66 In order that no lapse should occur in the mortuary statistics, tables for each week are presented covering the time between the last number of the "Bulletin of the Public Health" issued by the Surgeon-General of the United States Marine Hospital Service and the first number of the "NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH BULLETIN." The BULLETIN will in future be issued weekly, and will be made as complete as possible; and to that end the aid of all State and municipal health officers, sanitarians, and private individuals, at home and abroad, is urgently requested. With this issue of the BULLETIN, the Acts constituting the National Board of Health, and prescribing its duties, together with the rules and regulations prepared by said Board, are published for the information of the public. It is also intended to publish in the BULLETIN, from time to time, such local quarantine and other sanitary rules and regulations as may be adopted by the various State and municipal authorities throughout the United States, and it is hoped that boards of health, quarantine officers, and others, will keep the Board fully advised of all such rules and regulations, and of any changes that may subsequently occur in them. [No. 1. dent, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, not more than one of whom shall be appointed from any one State, whose compensation, during the time when actually engaged in the performance of their duties under this act, shall be ten dollars per diem each and reasonable expenses, and of one medical officer of the Army, one medical officer of the Navy, one medical officer of the Marine Hospital Service, and one officer from the Department of Justice, to be detailed by the Secretaries of the several Departments and the AttorneyGeneral, respectively, and the officers so detailed shall receive no compensation. Said Board shall meet in Washington within thirty days after the notice from the president of the Board, who is to be chosen by the members passage of this act, and in Washington or elsewhere from time to time upon thereof, or upon its own adjournments, and shall frame all rules and regulations authorized or required by this act, and shall make or cause to be made such special examinations and investigations at any place or places within the United States, or at foreign ports, as they may deem best, to aid in the execution of this act and the promotion of its objects. SEC. 2. The duties of the National Board of Health shall be to obtain in formation upon all matters affecting the public health, to advise the several Commissioners of the District of Columbia, on all questions submitted by Departments of the Government, the executives of the several States, and the them, or whenever in the opinion of the Board such advice may tend to the preservation and improvement of the public health. SEC. 3. That the Board of Health, with the assistance of the Academy of Science, which is hereby requested and directed to co-operate with them for its transactions, together with a plan for a national public health organization, that purpose, shall report to Congress at its next session a full statement of which plan shall be prepared after consultation with the principal sanitary organizations and the sanitarians of the several States of the United States, special attention being given to the subject of quarantine, both maritime and inland, and especially as to regulations which should be established between State or local systems of quarantine and a national quarantine system. SEC. 4. The sum of fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to pay the salaries and expenses of said Board and carry out the purposes of this act. THE NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH, as constituted under this act, is composed of the following members: PRESTON H. BAILHACHE, M. D., U. S. M. H. S., Maryland. JOHN S. BILLINGS, M. D., U. S. A., District of Columbia. HOSMER A. JOHNSON, M. D., &c., Illinois. ROBERT W. MITCHELL, M. D., &c., Tennessee. SAMUEL F. PHILLIPS, Esq., Solicitor-General, District of Columbia, THOMAS J. TURNER, M. D., U. S. N., District of Columbia. The first meeting of the Board was held on the second day of April, when the following permanent officers were elected : Dr. JAMES L. CABELL, President; Dr. JOHN S. BILLINGS, Vice-President; Dr. THOMAS J. TURNER, Secretary. The Executive Committee is constituted as follows: Dr. JAMES L. CABELL, Dr. JOHN S. BILLINGS, Dr. THOMAS J. The Board is especially desirous of obtaining for publication in its BULLETIN notes of the occurrence of epidemics in any part of the United States, and due credit will be given the writer or reporter for such notes, or for information which will lead to their preparation. All communications intended for the BULLETIN should be addressed to The National Board of Health, Washing. Act to prevent the Introduction of Contagious and Infectious Diston, D. C. CONSTITUTING ACT. THE NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH was organized under the following Act of Congress, approved March 3, 1879, entitled "An Act to prevent the introduction of infectious and contagious diseases into the United States, and to establish a National Board of Health: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be established a National Board of Health to consist of seven members, to be appointed by the Presi TURNER, Dr. STEPHEN SMITH, Dr. PRESTON H. BAILHACHE, SAMUEL F. PHIL LIPS. eases into the United States. Approved June 2, 1879. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be unlawful for any merchant ship or vessel from any foreign port where any contagious or infectious disease exists, to enter any port of the United States except in accordance with the provisions of this act, and all rules and regulations of State boards of health and all rules and regulations made in pursuance of this act; and any such vessel which shall enter, or attempt to enter, a port of the United States, in violation thereof, shall forfeit to the United States a sum, to be awarded in the discretion of the court, not exceeding one thousand dollars, which shall be a lien upon said vessel, to be recovered by proceedings in the proper district court of the United States. And in all such proceedings the United States district attorney for such district shall appear on behalf of the United |