YEAR BOOK 83

THE PUBLIC HEALTH

Chairman of the Provincial Board of Health—Hon. Murdoch McKinnon, Commissioner of Agriculture.

Chief Health Officer—William J. McMillan, M.D. Health Officer for Charlottetown—H.D. Johnson, M. D. Health Officer for Summerside—Dr. E. T. Tanton

Under the provisions of the Public Health Act, 1908, the mem- bers of the Executive Council are considered a Provincial Board of Health, and the Commissioner of Agriculture its chairman. It is, also, provided that there shall be a “ Chief Health Ofl‘icer," who may act as Secretary of the Provincial Board of Health and Chief Superintendent of Vaccination.

It is the duty of the Chief Health Officer to communicate with the Local Boards of Health, for the purpose of obtaining or dis- seminating information concerning the public health, and to perform all such other functions relating to the public health, vaccination, vital statistics, etc., as he may be required by the Provincial Board to perform.

The Provincial Board of Health has general supervision of all matters touching the public health of the people. Whenever any part of this Province is threatened with a formidable epidemic the Provincial Board may, from time to time, issue general rules and regulations for its prevention, as far as possible, or for the mitiga- tion of the prevailing disease, and generally for the preservation of the public health.

Subject to the Provincial Board, the Local Boards of Health are to take action to the same end. For Charlottetown and Sum- merside, there are Civic Local Boards, of which the mayors are, ex-officio, Chairmen. Every Local Board of Health has full power and authority to make rules and regulations of a local nature, sub- ject to the revision of the Provincial Board of Health, for the pre- servation of the public health and the prevention of infectuous and contagious diseases. These Local Boards are authorized to enter, by their officials and employees, all houses, buildings, yards, etc., within the bounds of their respective jurisdictions and remove, or cause to be removed, therefrom anything which may be considered offensive or likely to cause the spread of disease or distemper ; also to cleanse and fumigate or use such other means for purifying the