Sessional_Paper_1895 — Page 634

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Appendix B.

Duties of Medical Officer of Health.

(1) He shall inform himself, as far as practicable, respecting all influences affecting or

threatening to affect injuriously the public health within the District.

(2) He shall enquire into and ascertain, by such means as are at his disposal, the causes, origin, and distribution of diseases within the District, and ascertain to what extent the same have depended on conditions capable of removal or mitigation.

(3) He shall, by inspection of the District, both systematically at certain periods, and at intervals as occasion may require, keep himself informed of the conditions in- jurious to health existing therein.

(4) He shall be prepared to advise the Sanitary Authority on all matters affecting the health of the District, and on all sanitary points involved in the action of the Sanitary Authority, and in cases requiring it, he shall certify, for the guidance of the Sanitary Authority or of the Justices, as to any matter in respect of which the Certificate of a Medical Officer of Health or a Medical Practitioner is required, as the basis or in aid of sanitary action.

(5) He shall advise the Sanitary Authority on any question relating to health involved in the framing and subsequent working of such bye-laws and regulations as they may have power to make.

(6) On receiving information of the outbreak of any contagious, infectious, or epidemic disease of a dangerous character within the District, he shall visit the spot without delay and enquire into the causes and circumstances of such outbreak, and advise the persons competent to act, as to the measures which may appear to him to be required to prevent the extension of the disease, and, so far as he may be lawfully authorised, assist in the execution of the same.

(7) On receiving information from the Inspector of Nuisances that his intervention is required in consequence of the existence of any nuisance injurious to health, or of any overcrowding in a house, he shall, as early as practicable, take such steps authorised by the statutes in that behalf as the circumstances of the case may justify and require.

(8) In any case in which it may appear to him to be necessary or advisable, or in which he shall be so directed by the Sanitary Authority, he shall himself in- spect and examine any animal, carcase, meat, poultry, game, flesh, fish, fruit, vegetables, corn, bread, or flour, exposed for sale, or deposited for the purpose of sale or of preparation for sale, and intended for the food of man, which is deemed to be diseased, or unsound, or unwholesome, or unfit, for the food of man; and if he find that such animal or article is diseased, or unsound, or un- wholesome, or unfit for the food of man, he shall give such directions as may be necessary for causing the same to be seized, taken, and carried away, in order to be dealt with by a Justice according to the provisions of the statutes applicable to the case.

(9) He shall perform all the duties imposed upon him by any bye-laws and regula- tions of the Sanitary Authority, duly confirmed, in respect of any matter affecting the public health, and touching which they are authorised to frame bye-laws and regulations.