775
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAE
AUSTIN
ROE.coo.t. CCQ
st8t0 maith or&r,
Au&in, Tam.
D-r sir:
u nlq u o 8p r o lm dhumn
subjoo$ or prop-
18 tll*
in this Stat*.
Yaah a 7 0r 0~uea t.du s to & Tir e pu o o a o o r a lng
th e jurlrulotl~ 0r the stbte Boor& 0r Emalth ln ro8poC
Hon. Coo. ‘(1. Cox, Pago 8
to tho jmbllrahiibition oi the iaxaaenrb 8~47 of what
la knzua a8 the “mwslilo~ turt:. babp and al& tha
proper autharitle8 to nhiah the mattor should be reraxrod
ln th elbaonoa af oortrol ia m bepartwnt.
m r60t8, 68 008 rmh in 7~ lettrr, 6m
~nuaual, an4 the queatlon rai684 Is 0r rir8t ingraraloa
ln thl8 rtatm insorar 66 w har6 b66n abletcP aaoor%6h.
18 1026 a oblld with 8bmmul rkin we8 barn to
Tha $ztcaaq waa than loaned tar exhibition
puryoaa8 ta an lndlrldual rko ha8 now arkma tlm Tax68
Stat0 Boor4 Or m6lth iOr iII~O~tfC$B OO~~00rUine th6 pro-
ct.3rir.g 0r I i~~lt ror *an lduoatlona& lzhibLt* 0r tan
husaa 8yoainm.
mix qtuatlou are worded 68 r0ib88
l l l a, tho qus8tion 6riao8 88 to whether
vo ham authority to zorbld the lxhlbltlan OS
thi8 8~IO0tiB, *. * ?
q. VOUld 6~B&iOt6, in th0 8sOOld BlbCO,
youx o~lnlan a6 to *her6 suph aatterr 8boula
It 1~ probable th6f w me oontronted bore with
an artrwrio 0688 oi lohth7o618 or il8h-#kin dir6668 nt birth.
soa *Dlaea6es 0r th8 skin* by Stelw6gun, p. 3311 *ma
'Alll@ol 307' -'A C866 of Xohtbyoair- by 0. 11. fez,
Jar. Cutan, Di8. 1084 p. 99; a04 w10 Wan r;ah* 0r
Tenneano* by Ym~611; tauforilb Lkd. X6w8, 28W, p. MS.
At thm adset u. riah to goint ait that tharo is
nsltlwr oaaa mx statutory 16V ccrlatlw to 6 p68urV6&
iohthyosi8 spoolim~a. Bat rar legal pur20608 cur 8ubjoet
nattot rbii8 n6ttuall7 Into the mmn oatogor7 66 a0natrou8
bfrth8, an4 wo h6ve bean abla to rind.8 in ram 066.8
doallngrith lrrmplaaof trratologl.
m00,in tb 6mh ldfti0fi or hi8 t0hi0 *p r in-
alpler end Fraa,tlaeo of Obatotrlo8w, QO peea S6B, atrte8r
"6 ohlld bora ufth 6 daiorslt~ 80.56rkrd that
it interfem8 alth the geman OT 1006l 60rrb
03rJsnt~ Or th0 body 18 ObliOd 6 EODbtOTP
At OQcaaa hU it S68 8 Qi66W6nCT t0 6hQW l
U$ 6tXa ~S birth ior rmtaey. HzISXS3 v. IWWUXD; 8 Chaa.
. *
But it b68 bean hold that wh6n 6 gore611 h68 by
th0 ~bUf'tl1 lX6,rO166 O? rork OX Sirill 60 dbb~t with 6
huwm botl7 or gart of 6 kwa6n bodyin hla 16wfti pO6668-
8106 that it La8 6cc;uirOd 6m attribute8 diii67nntl6ting
it fXa 8 i6OTOaOTp60 @U@iting burlil, he 6OqUh68 6
rfslf to retain ~o6sr66lc0 of it. 8t 1666t 68 a66in6t
any ~r6oci not lntftled to hara it dalrored to Mm ror
tb ;Ur;oc6 of burial, b a l
t
ubjoat to any politlto lav
w!dch rOTbib it8 Tbt66tiOn Ua66r tb6 ~DTtlOUkX OlrOun-
6t6aC.S. iloci%i%iR3 ‘I. %‘liE[a;, b AUSt. c. L. Et. 106.
ti th0 DOOd0~6ti Y. 6glma opidO!$, Color J\IStiC@
CiTirrithOf t30 E&h CUM O? R~btmu6, *rot01
OIt 18 id18 t0 8OUtell& in tbs.6 d.36 tb6t
tha ~066666ton 0r 6 atum7, or 6 prepared
0r
Shelton, Or oi 6 &tax, O? Othet B6TtS Or a
hUQM bOd7, i8 Ii800666rli7 ti@BI$Ui$ ii it 18,
tb I6667 V6lubblO OOl~bOti~ Of 6Il6tCJlldO6l
@&Idpathological 8peUtinS or prepsratlon8
rOrmCdb&d fZ6intPtoOd by SOientiflO bodiO8,
80r0 rOT& 6a 6rO Q6iatbiQO6 ia T%Ol@tiOCC
Or th0 lb0
UQCQ the DUthOXit~ Of tM 6bOT6 d6OiSiO68 68 U@
Of tt8 0phiO0 that th0 O?il¶Or8hip66d BO66O66iOll Qf a
ma11-pr086rr6d spotin MO d
hu3ma irsak8
ar natun*r
b0 a OR t?@
WOUuno t t0T~
t& lpiXit OtX6UJQ16% Or th
On ttr Otb8T bald, it 633MbrS that 6t O-Oil 1.W th. OX-
hlbltlo2 birth QT humn tn6k
of a jW686rV6& s;ocStXatrS
uoultl ba grohlblt*d 68 OQltt6 boa08 aotd8 bad #II U.aLa*iJ.
la?rlogeneat ti xbllo m mU61IOQIOma67.
Th6 16~ of this oouatrt nlat%Bg to tba rlf#~ta
Or propextfQX po866861On bl d6.d bodies 18 SU966riZd irr
19 COECTJB Jmas, 6t p6g6 ll39. lie quot. brleiln
~@itS ia body lXi-
6 b0.d only rOT the
purp0.6 or buTi. 6a6 pn86rt*t10a or tb r6-
sllna artmr bar161 664, ln th6 abaeaae 0r
ltb tUtO.
it 06M Ot
b 0dfSW.Od Or r Or M Y
%O COUrb Of fm.dMi Aj5abiS Or !?6X68 ;LI th0
aam 0r 083 v. STATB, 1114 s. lr. 635, 6tCt6a whmt H
6OC6pt 66 tha 1.W Of thi8 @tote O&l propsrtf right8 in
d66d b0d168, ia tha rOiiOHftIg i6n@~g61
Tulle the badf la not propmrt7 in tha
u8ua117 rsoognlmd aoaao 0r the word, yet it
M7 bo consid6red 68 l Sa t of quasi groropsrt7,
to which certain pereons cu17 hat* rl&?ta, as
thSJh6~ 6Uti~S t0 &WTrOra
tCNDT6 it, &3d
tb Tl&ht to diSN.6 of 6 oor;oa b7 decoat
M~ltUlW 1!lOhzd68 the TLght t0 th. QO66686iOtl
Or the body ia tha 8.m oondition & ah.loh
death le6Y68 it.-
It i8 bJ$~iOti t0 IIeUUOthat the TOMB COUtiS
would recorfnin propertjrightr in a pnaenad ap8o&an~
or h3386tt 6ar0~6t~~.
h r X’I#ing
r XVQ l 0066id.T.tfOS Of the 0-a bW
t0 thO St6tUtw 16W Of T-8 it IS
•p~rMt tfibt th6
.+.T-eh6@ng QOtiOllS Or pblfo doooao7 arm i6df0.t.~ by
tho r@iiUr~ or the Le~1816tar6 to laot 6 lam ranotely
6~~lf0.b~. to th6 pr666ti bltU6tlOa.
A CDT&I1 ~~~@@t~g68b!b Or the Oitii IStbtUt68
Or TeX.6 do.6 not disclo8. 6llJ 1.U Wrt6inio45 to thO
oxblbttlon of the prmermd bodr of l hwaa freak.
s6 hbV6 6X6?6iE6d tb6 btbt~t68 I-OhtiG t0 thO
juribdlotiO6, pOw6r 6a6 dUtl68 Of t&O ti@tOdOd BOatd
Or th0 Stbk, AwEi 4663 thTUQ$ 4690 68 6MQdOd.
Vermm~a rtnnotated Clr$l $StatuteS, hnd iltd that the7
hero QO berrinq a thie quartion.
Th0 86m 18 tTW Or th6 stata I)osrd O? mbOhh&
Hon. -0. W. Cox, Fag8 8
statutea,Artlclua 4576 tmtqh 458Ic, a8 armdad,
Yernon~8 Aaaotatod al+11 Statutes. rhich 88t out tb
pcwbrr an4 &at188 oi th8 Board.
Th8 quertlon of th8 eothorlty ot ths St8tb
Board of Eealth over tha rrhibltlaa of ths 80-aall*&
“turtlebabp ham a8o888itated 88 &~~lr8i8 Oi LLul88 2da
through 57 of hrtlolr 4471, (18 saunded, Yeracm~r A;mo-
;!a&6 Cltll Stetutea, wdoh purteln to vital rtati8-
. Th4 tltsl Statlrtlr ~rorlrloa8 02 Art1010 4477
ar8 the neere8t apprcaoh N* hnvo to positi+* lar in thla
stat8 go+ornfag tE8 paauU0r rituatloa 548 ars 0038idor-
hg.
Ths %artlr babp wea born la tto par 1920,
acecrdl.ng to th8 faotr. At that tti Ruloa 34 tbra&
5'1, ml018 U71, Reriaeed Ci~ll Statutel, 1925, (Act8
1911, 32nd Leg., eh. 93, and Act8 1917, 35th Lag., oh.
1291, tt0rb 18 ml r0r00 8d 8ffa.
Bul88 Z4 to ST wrs rupael8& by Act8 192?, 40th
ZlK., 18t C. S., p. 116, oh, U, 8 24.
Rillo8 34a t!zough
?I?, Artlale 4477, Vornoa’8
A-xiotatad Civil Statuter a8 umndod, (Act8 1927, p. ll6
and Aotr 1939, R. B: 614f are no1 tke gortloa of tb Dan-
ltary oo& relating to rltal rtatl8tio8.
At the tlm of the Sirth 8nd death of tin
Vurtle babp, 6x1108 34, 38 and 40 read ma folla8~
=Rule 34. To ruport blrthr. - All phfrloi8n8,
surgeons or aooaxohbur8 (nlUwi+or) *ho pu7 at-
tool et the birth of a child, or, la the abrmoo
of such 8tkndance, llthm parent of the obild,
#hall xw>ort the faot, togethw rith all 8tatia-
tlorl data relating t&rata, wlthla firm day8
tron tlm of tk8 birth, to the city OT county
rugirtrsr a8 here&&after prorldo4 fQT.-
"&la 35. Undortakmrs to ra;or$ dasth8.-
Evtw7 per8cm 8otlag t8 unciortakar 8h8ll file
with ttu przpur reglatrcr a o8rtlfloat8 of U8oth
and all gmrssw hrmlehiry a oofiln o? box in
t:;?ch to burf the &wl 8h811 bm dwsm& u&or-
takers.*
Hon. 0~0. w. aox, Page 5
‘mllo 40. DiSpOSing cd b&y. - Thb body of
any person whoa8 Abath odours within, or whlah r18y
be found Aoad within, this St8ts shall not k
intarred or A8~08itd in 8 vault. or tomb. or
ho14 t@m~Ol'arily ~adlng further &iSpOSktiOa,
for 8 ReriOd Of EorS than SeVO!ltJ-tW0 hour@ after
iea t@ .0 0 l l ( u a a sr s8o r ~ c u r s).
Than 18 no lniorreatioa eubmlttad a s to rhotEar
the birth and doatE of tb wturt18 babp war0 reported
t0 t&8 proper m%giStrar la OO~Ip11aS08 wlth the teN Of
tEb old RdOS 34 and 35, lboro quoted. ?urthwmors, it
is not aisclo8od whether or not .in oocQlianc8 with Rule
40 8 perdt *for other d~8pOSit~On” of th8 body VIM
obtained la view ot tb@ feat that it was bid ior more
thsa 7% hour8 SftSr death.
ft 18 U8.1088 t0 S~OUlat~ Uncut th.8. aOt8 W!iiOh
ma7 or ma7 not lmtm 00ourred
baok la 1925, but it is our
oplnlon that unaor the original Biulo 40 and thr pre88nt
MS Sh (Aoad bodlos) - th8 latter Word@& @ub@tantia~~
lib the repealed Rul0 40 - before ths body of 8 oEifA
born a rollStar 00tid bo 18&1~ prO@Omd 8 gWiILit tould
hare to be 0btda.d rroa tb looal reg1*trer.
Ths phraw *'athor A18jko81tfoaa la broad enough to
oavar ~roservrtlon for wdioal Or lducatlozul ptupo8es
of 8 n~@troU~ btrthr
tfs aall attoatloa to the >roSsnt Rub a, uti-
010 4477, Yeraoa*s innotated Cl+11 Statutes,rhlah maA8
CD f 0110-S:
ltilm35b .Red bodiSS.- SaO. 5. That ttm
body oi any porraa Wj;O88 do&h fxoOM ln tbla
St8t8, OT rhloh ShSll be tOtUkdaOe& thOrOh,
Hon. aso. 1. Cox, Pa@ T
rhall not be iElt4rTed,d8>081t84 fn 8 VSUlt
triot, or bo tw~;or8rll7 held pen- fir#or
w. 8S@&881~ the f#Ot that in T8XRS tb Old it’ll.
10 Slid th0 JBrOBS,nt BrilS w Ot ilrtiO18 2dn Srb StEitUtq
8dhorit7 to th8 siteot th4t other diSpO8itiO?I or l
OOrQSO thm burlal PUt be IMAO.
UodOT this 84OtbR the Stat0 %ard Of Health
atid th8 ~giStr.%rOf titd StatiSticS ha- SUtbTit~
OTO? the AiSp8ittm ai tb bOdi88 Of ~OnStrOUBbirths,
ana mq la8u8 or mfu.sb to lrsw 8 permit ror tbr pro-
urrntloa OS 8~OObLOtlS.
A8 m hare ~lW1ffl817 lnatoatd, w 60 not know
what, ii any, pmnlt maa obtaiard in r08p008 t0 th# Al@-
paoltlon of W body of tha ltxutlo baby- in 1926.
Ia the present 1aStinOethe iallure o? tb
pamWIt@ rho z?im?mi?iod th8 8048l~8d wturt~8 babp to
procure ruoh a permit la 1924 woul& not bo materhI sinoo
tha property right8 o? th8 .ownbr 05 the pn*err*4 lp**1-
mea OSlUMt b0 Ai@tttTbrd 8t this tinw.
WS am not ptt@Sin& in tai8 opinion UQOR th8
qUS#tiOU Oi whether
Or not the ptUMt8 Of th. "turtlm
babp era guilt7 oi having tiolatod A2'tiolS 721, FSnrl
CefS Of TeXbS, (AC%@ 1911, p. 175; ACtS 19l?, p. 332)
w;-.lo.h ~138 In efieot et tM tim the aturtlobabp maa
born, ale4 and was pranmd. Sala pnal prorlhaa
reads 88 fO~OU@t
-An7 person ~30 rhll tlolate an7 rule of
tb &altary -Co&ooi U&8 Btaa rolstin(lto
Vital #tEti#ti88, Or Who Sh8u i#U t0 JWfO=
tmy duty imposed OR him by da rules helrla
rehrmd too, 8hsll bo fin@& not 1088 thanton
--
Hon. a80. w. cox, Paw 5
nor~or8 than 0a8 hnndrmd dollars. mo8v8r
ahall ialsoly or rrmdulmatly ?ur~~@h~mnyla-
t3NtiOa ?Or th8 ~QOSS Of mrSking M iaOor-
reot rooord o? 8 birth or d8ath 8hau be ooa-
?fnsd ia th, poniteatiary not 1888 thu QOO
nor morm than two yearn..
art1010 4470 &Il88 3& tbroU@l57, da8 nob
oonfor say jUriSdiOt& in the Boerd o? Eaalth over tba
exhibition o f l &WSBWWI~ SpSOhM Of hmznn =uO-ttOn.
Bulas 77 thraPgh Ed, Art1010 U7T, Yoraoa*~ An-
aotato6 Clrll StatutWS, relate to the tr~argortatian o?
dOOa;~d8, and harm no applloatlo won thb prornt
.
Altho~@ the exhibitian of 8 monetrota birth
ooaatitut8d a mixiolraaor ot ocmaon law, thorn 18 a0
po81tir8 l.ar in the OrkiUti Statutes o? TOSS rhleh
wool4 Sorb14 much l publio aisplq.
A&iOxb 1 OfthS SW81 cOf&, VSlmOa'#JAZUIOt8tSd
-i&d StatUk8, DrO~id881
"'l'h. d.Sign Of iMOtiry this Cod8 18 t0
d8finS ia p x k jpi~g ~8g e lTOr TOf?SUSS Sg 8inSt
the 1aWS Of thl8 State, alld l??iX t0 @aOh oi-
ions* lta propr pctn2Wnt.a
‘In order thtt the 8-w or wXl81 xar in
?orM in this Stata m87 be a-lot. dthh it-
eel?, and that 00 sy8tam of roroigp laws, writ-
ton or umrlttoa, mar b o lgpealod to it la
d#Oh~d that no pr8oa shall bo punf~trrd for
an7 Sot Or aniS#iOa ti888 th. DUO 18 mad.
a mnbX ofieaab, d 8 penalty $8 aSflu
thento by th *IrfttM law o? khi# St8te.'
Tb PS?i1 aOd8 4088 not UkS th8 lxblbltlon O?
8 SpOObba O? hUMB &Xi@tr08ttF~~ Qs 8 ?r M k Of a a t- l
end orrttnn, or prcdae 8 panlty tharefor. The coda
1 S OXOiUSitO Or t&S OWWI km, a06 l BI.bdO~MOZ 8s
--
803. aao. II. aor, Pe&O 6
oamon 189 la 2ot a siadmmen~ In Teaa today ualra*
ldafInadgIa th* aa.
Artlole M6, Rnal Cod., deallag with Indaoont
pPblIastioaa nn& lx.~~ausea,
provldwr
‘Ii anf pram shall mala, pabllrh or prIa8
afirIndooont 81&dobroonr D-t, pfOtUr8 Or
nitton oomoaltlon maniteatl~ deslcaod to
corrupt tin-zsarala or
Ithaa~enhUthatthrrard8~ob~ano ud
Indaosn$ aUbftionm es use& in hstiale 526 1uana UI lf-
poauun or the parts or the person commonly eonaidere& as
prirata . TfxmlR t. STThTz,19 s. Y. 1004. Thla ltatuta
wada not a??17 to the lzhlbltkm of a mzznUla& abnorc
cm1 baby, sin08 auoh an lx!iIbltIoD r;uld not bo *obsoano
and Indaoent* nIthIn the eaanlng oi tb atok.
ammating upni the manIns of the aor *tide-
canop the amlrt In the oaaa 0r BiaD v. 6?.iTE* T OS., A.
578, sso$ 61 s. x. 700; statad:
lr **T h o a na
- tha~,
pr*+*ilw ateto
of pub118 morality at tb partloular pdod, -
mom largaly than any athor OM thlq detemlne
what tha dtvceaoy en6 Iadeoenoy oi that partim%-
ler day an& ipzmraltloa #ball bo. Many thInga
ragasdol (by law 88 well 88 bv ~oular oginloa)
l hundru& years ago am beingIndaaaat ara not
so regard84 ww; be on the otlmr baa&, tha
greaont age hea daralopad daa~aolra and iadOo@n-
de8 untaom to or obmmoa by au r0rmm0n.-
lIs0a a b c ul,
o o ll**, p Eta Io lQ o r sur g a o n
8h a u b tImW#& Or p @ dtte& t0 SeCOivS a a r
d8a4 haman body uatil bond shall hto baea sir-
la am ~rwlaea by law, aa& whomaror ahall MU
loll,080. w. aa, ~a@ 10
or bum any auah bodies or Ln ~~treftio In
tha same or rhall tranarcx oomof, ox x<
G*tae traasaittaa or ronvsyead, any wa
body to any plaoo outsMa the stat0 shall be
iin84 not lxoarding two hundral $eoo.oo) 401.
1arB or ba impria0oaa not *x000 nig two par8
Is Jail.* (Uadaraeorin~ ours)
The ltilbltioa sf l p r a r sna l
4pcoima of 8
monrtroU8 birth Is not tantawwt to traffloking In
dea4 bodloa rithin the prohlbltlon of tha Poral t&at-
ut8.
Tb wra ltrdfIo* hma a pertoat olaar an4
6eriaita marnlag of ito owa at law.
UomI~r’8 Law Dfotionsrr. Ra~le8’ 3rd ldltlan,
doflnas tmrflo as r0u0S08
la o a a a - 08;
trsdo; sale ox oxohm@ 0r m*lc
obradlao, aoney an& tbo like.
bill@, The pass-
Ina. of goods or ofm5oditlaa Srom oa* p*rson to
a no th e r for lO l;iuIrrloat in pod8 rp timer;
-4 a tralrl0k.e is on0 rho trdfioa ax l traa-
or, a nerohant." &L!?IORf. lt.Z’l’~~Alt, 44 Ohio
Stat., 615, ll It. h'32l.v
SOS r0m3dly eaasm rob limllar dafInltIcma Of
~trartlr~t
PZG?LX v. DURl'GRD, R?O If.?. 10, 100 X.R. 435, 434t
TIXR v. lzoU?t, 77 So. 633, 5% 74 Fla. 4lT
RGBIX GGODFXLLCW (D. C., z38h.j u) -4. (2df eer,oea~
iw.xu 1. ROWDRLLI, 160 X.1.8. me, 767.
It Is wtrwmly &arbti\ll Wmt the lxhIbi8lon of
a wll-prSSOmO& apoo&an 0r huwa ~lformatlonroul&
asmut to aa sot Injurlws to the >ublIo health, ao aa
to ooaatltuto l jmblIa mIaano0, although tU8 ma14 bo
a quaatlcm af raoa in thm ha$ umlysIa.
Artfole 69U, Faaal Co&, provider;
dower shall oarrr on an traffe, burf-
noam or oaeupation, Iajurlcua r o the health of
tboam who realdo in the rioinity, 0~ lurr8r
785
Hon. 000. V. Cox, Pago 11
w mabatamo wbleh ho that dfaot to rwmln
or pnniaeo la h& oaaoaaion, shall bo fin@&
a* 1888 thou tea ( a 10.00) nor fmro thaa 00
hudm& ($100.00) dollars. zaoh da7 IO 0
80gsw0 0rr~80.-
no lrhibltlon of tbo *trrttlababJI8ml4 not
amouat to an eat &dSl8 ia610 fnjotiou8 to Irhe pubtir
hmlth.
lhwlao. sblotoaa 836 alnrUoarm aubjaot8o?
property, and an a06 aonf in 84 to the m&Ioal a has-
moo1 aa laboratory. Thy us 4Iaplapd to ths rablio
in~a a o um a n& anatoadaal SOh o Ol8. T h slturUs babp
10 4 ~OPIIV, looordLn8 to the hots mbdtka, sad lta
lxhfbItIon tf0ianot violet0 any statute of #a stat0
ot Taxes that w have bcon abla to biacwu.
A atu&t of all tha Oaso an& statutoryauthori-
ties nvoalm that nalthu unCor t!io oamon lam or uaaar
tho statute8o? tba atata of Texas is the poasoaaIoaoi
~~aarva4 spooLann o iliumalburatlon
n a g a insth
to
. Rirthuaora, while at ooznoa law than 1s author-
lty to the offoot thst tb gubllo lrbibltlon of a pn-
urn4 nonotrouo birth uoulll amant to a Eiadsluior.
-4 bo prohibIta&, the ‘statutory law 0r thla etato,
oltil or criminal, &we sot prohibit the lxhlbltton of
8 auadtle& 8peoiwn of Infantabnormality.
lfa an not la a poaitlbato aat whethermah aa
ltibitlon sq or aur not 5an an 84ueatloualvalue to
tin mbllo ar earn
tb wrposo of lUvaztot3g lolantlfIo
madloallassrn~. If tha poullu lttrlbuto of the t-c-
head06baby Ia tho DorAanti 1. Span80 oaao Iurtffiod
lts praauvation M lolaatIrIo (pounda, thra the %urtlo
babp ao &.rubt hs aa 0~81 laiontlilo anatdoal value.
Its preaanatha an& lxhlbltior, In tha twantlath o&n-
cannot ubitrrrll or lightly ba 8814 to oonatltuto l
& wb lia llUiSanO0, L air th0 ixibllo haalth or often& tha
oonturporarf Renaa of pub118 daoano~, imapootlv~ of the
laok or statutory 1.a on tb mb$aot. Eleaibea, the rpoo-
h o a dth wh lo h w in lcuounaa Is wmx.?~~ahl~ iourbeoa
pnra 014, aad raprarenta l &8rinit0 piece 0r in rt7,
thr rlgta or ownormr?Ip M& goa6aaaIon of wbioh t c la*
will prot8ot.
in amue to pi apdxlo qoaatlona, H wish
to advisa that it Ia oaz opinion that the Stat0 Board
oi Roalth does not poaaoaa tb statutory autbo?ItJ to
forbla the pub118 lxhlbitloa or a tmooa-per ol&
prsaoma spoolmoo OS lal’ant abnormallt~ knam as tim
%smIfIo4 hut10 babp. It I8 W 0pIaioathat thm
p ub 1 1lxtlbitfoa
0 0r l proaon4& wwnlriad* Infant
a b lowee
h b o na wlthan lpldwaii oi plate-llkmaoali-
noes and uUoh lived threa daya, door not oontravono
th eo l+il o r orlsdnal ltatuto8 0r Texas. It I8 our
further opinion that a parsit tar a a lxhlbltio? OS a
8 oiaun or kfantlla lbomtlolr deslgnatod tin fwm-
aE lrd turtlebaby 1s w8 roqulrra by law. tie are
of tbo oplnloathat a proseno onlquo l*oIm8a of
hama nalfonimtlon. i,s tb llubjoot of gropertr rights
in this state. fimlly, It 18 our o~lnlonthat undu
Article 4477, Ed0 500, tuaon~a 1LaO0te04 civil skt-
utoa, tam State ?ibr& ai Siealth, acting through t&o
stats and leoal nglatrar of Tltal Statistics, ha8 tb
authorit to grant or nfuaa a pomsIt foe the proum-
tlon or numIfioatlaa at a monatrolu birth.
Em hen not beoa Iniormo4as to tbr mnaor la
whloh the *turtle babp will ba oxhibitod to the publlo,
but auoh an oxhlbiticwr vi11 In all probability ba sub-
joot to the ooou~atIoatax laws 0r this state. Sam
Artfolo?04V', Sootlon8td to SO, turaoa*s hrmotat4
abii Statutes.
Truatln~ that ua ban tally aandoatIofaotoril~
lnsworo&four quoatloiu,mo are
Talra vosy truly
IB:ob
APPROVED~ 19, 1940