Minnesota Communities

	Red Wing: Lucius Hubbard

Source

Document 2

Type

Biennial message

Year

1883

Source

Minnesota Historical Society

Size

160K

Hubbard discussed the status of the Minnesota Board of Health in his biennial message to the legislature.

BOARD OF HEALTH.

The State Board of Health has done effective work in the past year
in checking the spread of epidemic diseases and in the enforcement
of sanitary regulations throughout the State. In my judgment
this Board should receive larger recognition and be clothed with
most positive authority. Under the statutes the health officers
are charged with certain important duties, whose discharge in-
volves the exercise of authority not suffciently defined by law.
It is of course admitted that there is no question in which the
people at large are interested in a greater degree than the preser-
vation of health. The establishing of sanitary regulations is an
essential feature in the proper government of every community.
A constant influx of immigration is liable at any time to bring with
it contagious diseases which may become epidemic and, unless sum-
marily dealt with, spread beyond control. It is of the highest
importance that boards of health be vested with the authority
necessary to efficient action in such emergencies.
The report of the State Board of Health suggests many changes
in the law wherein experience in its practical operation has shown
it to be defective. I commend the request and recommendations
of the report to your favorable consideration.