OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
Bon. Gab. W. 00x
Stat8 Health Offioer
Austin, Texee
Deer Sir:
Iron.Gee. Y. Cox, page 2
ply placing a yellow flag or oard not leea
than eight inohea wide and twelve inohea long
with the word8 'Contagloua Diaeaaa'; and the
quarantine regulations printed thereon, In a
oonsplawua place on said house.
"(3) Hould the plaoing, aa above,
a white
oard with following printed thereon meet re-
quirements? ~Cpuarentine. Contagloua Dlaeaee.
These pramiaas are hereby plaoed under ~uaran-
tine in aocordanoe with and NbJeot to the
provision of the Sar~iWr Uodm af the Stab
Of tmr. Penalty pmvldod br law. By or&or
or OouJltyHoal8h Ofrlur.' Ir wJl8 do.8 not
reet roqufromuitr .pluoa gin full lnferutlon.
“(8) Do.8 th18 l to8iIl@O~hOlHO@MF-
anti&o,Or doe8 it 8&Q
B F7
U On4 V&U, *8 8hO bIV
8tatO8, thB l%dBd08.~' @Olld.w iUR 8UOh
QuarantlJlo ror cl&o hot lntrreri OS PubllI
Health, eta.? IT it applhr to tha lnBlri4UU
hotim quarantlno, dQe8 it man mob to apply
In all owe8 or adlJ wlmxw mob he1p
lek eQb yid4 qua~aatined? Ii it~appl
"I: 08
b* 80
iadlrldtulhmmo, k&8ahOve, 18 1% obll~a80
on part of Health orrloorto report,all 8~x
quarauflne8to the OounW &&err or f&her men-
ii
Hon. Gao. W. COI, page 3
bar of the Conunissloners*Court, and ask that
ssah offialal see thst above oonditlonrrare
met, ff~xllyoared for 8s above? And If suoh
la neaning is ths quarantine aifeoted (ralid-
lty I mean) it county authoritie8 do not go
see what is needed?
"Please let me have your ruling on the Ar-
tloles, and (6) your definition a8 to power8
of looal health offlcsra in the enforcement of
Quarantine law6 for the proteotlon and haalbh
of the peo~le.~
Artialo 788, verno~i~8IlaaotataaOciminal etat-
u8e8, read0 a0 follow8t
luho*rar 8ba3.l riolate any roVl8lon es the
Saknituyaodo o? thio Sta80, ottor than thoor
relatiI&to vital ltat~otioo 8haU be fixm4
not1.esrthantal nor omotiin en0 thowul4
dolluo.'
AxMale V8la,id., provl~orr
*Thatany perun, yiio ror hiaouf or u an
death ooourrod Or the b&y wai fouud, wl8hopitr
thr authoriB of a buriG-l.or maov8Z pormlt ,180
lued by the looal roeio4rwr of the di8triot in
whloh8ho death ooourru(. or la whlohthe boQ
Wa8 foua6~or (by) ohall rd'U8* or fail to rus-
nlsh aorroatlfanyintorobatioa in hia pOO8*88iOn
or ohall furnlohfa%rr iaiomtion affocvbfag W
oca8ifioato or raoord, requlrrd by thio ,Aotl or
(0) rrbailUlllfllUy altar.,otherulfo thag $8
provldml by Seotlsn 3.8 of .thtr Aa8 , or UW.l
raloi?y uy 6ertltioa8e of' birbh or do&h or
any rsoordlotabl$ihodby 6hi.8 Aott or (a! be-
rewired by this Aot to fill oat a oertfiioak
of birth or death and file the manm with the
Eon. Geo. w. co*, page 4
local regiatrer,or deliverIt, upon requeat,
to any person charged with the duty of filing
the same, shall fall, neglect, or refuse to
perform imoh duty In the mmner rewired by
thl8 Act; or (e) being a looel rsglatrer, dep-
uty registrar, or SUbr8glatrfC, shall fail,
negleot, or refuuseto perform his duty a8 re-
quired by this Aot and by the lnetruotlono,
and dlreotion of the etate registrar thereunder,
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor au6 up-
on oonvlotion thereof ohall for the tlrst oi-
tone.be fined not leoo than .fivr dolluo (#a.)
aor merethan fifty Uolloro (#SO.),and ior
uoh 8ubsoquonboffeaoo~4% ho0 l&an ton dol-
1=8 ( 10.) no9 mom thM On. hundred dOiiU8
(#lOO.t, or be lmprl80~Odin the 00~ Jail
not aor0 than 81x&y &aye, OT bi oh urd
Seatloo88 oi &Mole $ of the Texao:@on8titutl~
proYidoor
-0 QOWST Of 8Upnu laW0 in thi0 8tBw
rhall lx obo Rby
b er xemo l8o Ia~lUaturo.a
t th y
Pueo fPrloprrrdonooa?mont8 upon Whir leotlon
a0 r0im8 in vol. 9,
p* 800:
"powerto ou8gend the oporatlono? a law my
not be oxrrol8wlotoegt by the Logl8lature.A+
oordingly,iti18 held that the Le&giolotmeMy
not oonrerauthorityto nupoad a guioral law
of the state upon l.Bunlalpo2ityor the Mten
of & polittaal 8tib~lri8ion~.a
SAN ANTOPiIOand A.P. RY. CO. VS. LESTER,89 S.W.
758;
Hon. ceo. w. ax, page 6
EmgIyyu.E & CANDYco. V8. CITY CP DALLAs,
i
BAiZiI
is: COW, I.98S.W. 1-U;
BURTOX vs. DUPRlZ;,46 S.W. 373;
EX 2ARTZ~lTCfi&LL,177 3.W. 953.
Sn reljlyto your seoond Inquiry, it 18 our opin-
ion that Ssation28 of Artials1 OS the Conatitutioa of
Taxaa would not have any appliaatlon to oomplmin$#, pros-
eautlone,aad aonviatlonar0r violationaof any p~otision
of the SanitaryCode ot Tera~ (Art. 4477, R.C.S.$1926)
under Artiola 788, Vemma~8 Annotated Oirir Sta4utu.
Rule 9 of the ~Banle Cob emote6 by Artielo
U79, B&l8od Glril statutu, l@ES, ru40 a8 f OllOw8t
.
'.
Wi4h rupeot 40 ywr 4hSr4 Wsbion Rule 9 ef
*r SMlt~ 0060 43s&rtio1*u99,~Rqiml OiT,fl Sta4u4er,
198l5,
prod&o8 4hq the horzro$uara+n~ for ~ooatui-
ow dLuuo bo .plara+d wlok a Wlow i&w or end not
loor tIma al&t inohw wide ml 4w@lw.~+rh.m+Ot# vlth
thaworda*ooa4aglo~dlsoaro~ and‘$ho,
qturaainor
latloam priMed thsroonia .aootipiO~@~apUOO'oilaa Y-d
house.' A Whi.40oax-4. wwl4 bo+an ox&m& rlola4loaof
'thepldn and tU¶Umbi#~UoW1=&U'%. 0r 4ho rulo~alah
un8 r0r a yellowrag OF oa+ ,'Tha woru a4buo SW-
iur are herebyplaoeduador quarantiao .Ja aoaorttano~
with aa& subj.0440 the groviaioasot 4ha~&ni4m'F Ood.
of the atate of Terar. PonaltJ prorl4~4by law. Ry Omlder
or oountyhealthorrioer*-'iwe sa4lrtadwY with the OX-
0aption or the raot thatthey do not ,lnest
the rwuimsnt
Hon. GSO. W. COX, pag. 6
of the statute that *the quarantine riv@atloae* be .
"printed thereonW. :
This depsrtamnt la not in a position to advlee
you explicitly as tcwhat the Wquaraatlne regulatloaa"
should be. Rule S of the sanitary Codr sets forth the
*ruler to quaraatlas aad d161nfeotlonwsad these rulea,
which dlrtiaguiah between wab601utaRsad %odIfIed~
quaraatiw. should be r0ii0md fn ararting Wmrsatlae
iegulatloai* to be printed on the quarantine ?lag or
placard.
mhuor
"Rulu to
Thr r0u0mkg rules or iertrua4son far 4ho mg-
ulation of qu.w.tin*, S8olafionat& dl&Uu-
tioo k! th elwral 0~t6gl.ucdl~~~, horoin- *
b&or. a.64lon.4, 6r. t. bo ob..m.& by all
boera. Of hulth, hul4b oifioclrs, ~8k+M,
.~hool.~rinfrad.ntr~dt~~.~, .@etb.rr.
Iu. b06ith 6~4hor14106or 0bw64;~, ottleg, at14
towns la 4hfr State we h.rob~4iroot.d 6.d ti-
th0ri.d t. o.t.blI8h 1oo.l ~orr6.4I.6,hol&-in
doturtion,maI6taI6trolatfon664 lpaotioe dir-
hr004i~ OS horolnaf4w pr07iau r4, at au,
rush hfoo4ed &wrlOa., whi01.8 or prOmi
whloh tie f6r0o44 ezwo .u.p04.4 of boi6# in-
the bulldlry or oonr~~or uoopt br 0fri04m or
attutdant8au4horfwl br the hoaltb authe?ltlu,
ml the flaoingnil(Ipl6zd6it noou6ar~ t0 l?Or OO
thlr prddbltton 6~00~& the m6tIng of 8 w6r6-
in6 plaoarb6464fr4~*00ntagi0u66160a609 La a
aon.pI6uow pla0e or plaaa6on 'theout6& of
the buildingor oontqano~~ thM, the pbIbI-
tloa of the pas6iagout of rap objeot or matbri~
rron the qu.mmtI6d hou60 or 0onreyanooI fourth,
provisionror oonwylag the 66oe666rie6or llf.
uwl~,oarefulrestrlotlan6to thoaa in Qu6r66-
tine..I'~
Hon. Gee. Vi. Cox, page 7
*(b) KodlrIe.4suarantine tnaluude.prohlbi-
tlon of entrance and exit, end in 6baolute
quarantine except aEalnet out.@ mmbern of
the taaAly authorfted by the health authorltlea
to pass lo and out under oertain~deflnlte ro-
strlotion.; the placing of a plaoard a. berorei
lsolatlon of patient and attendant; prohibition
Or the OUrfill Out Or aIlyobjeot OF material
unless the same shall have been thoroughly di6-
Infedted.
room w wita of r6w8, 40 whfeh aono ~buc‘m4bar-
iudoffhar8 4ratba&utr~~bm.~8,,
bu4 alloulag 4he 8ttoMaa48 I4e pu ~4nWM 4W
rm lft6r~dI616fw8io6 of per6oa,..&6o4+lok
olmngo ef 01.t&in(;.a.&.&lg.6 .bov~m8ion-
648 th. prohibltlon oi ~6.1~ 6.r obj& O# mu
tadal 0118or the ale& rem ut&il,it h66 bean
4Idnreete4; proteo4Ion or the doonmy a6 before.
w(o) spesl8l li&atlon inolu406, ilrat,
prohlbI4Ion of patlen8 from attadlng 6W pl.8.
Eon. Gee. W. Cox, page 8
or publlo assemblage; seoond, the providing
of separate eating uteaail. ror the patlent~
third, prohlbItlo~ OS slee~lng with othera,
or ualng the same towel6 or napkin&
"(I) By complete ai6inreotion I. meant dls-
lnreatlon during Illness, under aireotion 0r
attending physlalaa, of patient's body, or all
exaretions or 4lroharge. of patient and oi all
aHdOle Or a1othI.g aml Uton6116.~6od by
tie.4 an4 after rooowry, doWi or raw war-
th6 a~6iDtootfonof w6u6, w6b0xk, fym&6,
b0aaing, 0~.
of~thoid4 are b6av64trar tibw600 tci.o*';o#w~
the btIIldft&g
er doavo@~o* a6 till a6 all.o-r.-~0yrWu
by 4ho ~ho6ltl~6~thori~o6,.~whlli
.srrbbIfl,,,gUi
Ib) a~.B@&
s ddin0r *lobiii0a qwrathtti~*~
iunwi & bl;&.,
&s&':.i,
'_
"Ab6olu$oQi6r66MJN* irr~Ohat~eqkra~~::;~~~~:f~
14 4~lgu~~~~'~.~~hcikOb;',~4horI4i..~~~~~~~:~~
icy to QlUmI. o.8 ou4 i3f~4ho.hgwou.doz oo?wrig.fl-
pt~s~os4rIo410na wph%~4ko~~o~ the. h&al4ip+r-
.
,~
Ia answer 40 - quo.4l.n o‘wo In4orpr.4it
you am adWe& tbet4ho huloh au4horW.l ~~oH&h-
I.6 ti "Abaolut. qu.r..tl.." ~&.y~~~hlb$f’UT:Pruba?r ‘of
the r0dxy rrom’on4mnoo $0 a'oxlb from 480 ImUdLbing ibr
00nwyon00, uhoru8~ If a ~~IfIod quupn41aor 16 oq4.b.
118h.4 0at.l. ienib.rkoiYho idly mu.0 be auth&rod _
by the healtheUthOd$iqU t6 pass ~lnukd out,umla oar-
tan 40rIn1t. rearfotIon.. m o~~~lnrtanoo tho hoal4b
authorities @St 4.01~* th. qu.rantIao either ~1Cb6olutO~
or ~oaIiIe4~~
Article4460,,Rori6ddirI1 Statute*,l!HS, pr6-
riderI
Hon. Geo. W. Cox, page 9
Whenever the oomulsslonere oourt of any
oounty has reason to believe that they are
thraatened Et sny point within or without the
oounty limits with the lntroduotlon or dimes+
ination of a dangerous, oonta(rioueor inieoti-
ous disease that oan and should be guarded
against by qmrantiae they may direot their
oounty health officer to deolare and maintain
safd quarantine againfitany and all such danger-
ous diseases; to establish, maintain and 8~~4
a ta tio na o r o a m l r 0r tho8e.h&1& in qlaar8ntin0;
80 pr0rl.l.heap3: W8 tanta a'-pMt howM for
8hoM 818k or Oontiagbu8 an& lnr8othl8 dl8Mu;
ftJruralah rl61oJlr,aed10lzle aooalloaor',
thillgr u%erJ lea a ntla
abao p"" fur lOh8 eomforb of
8h8 WON .mb tb8 0~~880~~ or th8 8i0k: i ,~
iolan ahall k8.p an 1tris8u .u-
ikIt:! lxpan~r ~Aaeurrod by lroaa&
Hon. Gee. B'.Cox, page 10
whether or not the oounty quaronti~e in respeot to a
single realdenoe or many be established, and the expense
oormected therewith be aseumed. The +srantlne in at
county expenee only when the oomlssloners* oaurt aots
oMlo1ally 13 reepeot to It.8establlahment.
KISG COWl!Y VS. UIlWXLL, 71 S.W. 810
In tbia case plalntlif, a ranoher and hle men,
were plaoed under a strlot quarantine by the duly author-
ltsd and aonstltuted authority or King
threu& tha Oopnty 0OS&8~10~~8' OOurt Or
by an orda duly uhered or r8OOl-din tha Bluutu of tilt.
OWIh 8iW8r 8’
OOUX%
Or %b g o OUUtJq o lr r W$ wII#
lid
xlng ootalty yin& au Jni8@tiO?.U
aiaoarr, ln a0oorhuao
dth the tm md ~Oti#iOll8Of &%@&a w, -0.8
AWOti8.6 ohi 8t8tUt*8, Whbh 18 JZO@$&tiOl~ bd~@@,RO-
ri8.b airif. fbtUt88, 1OLLb.’
ellaat thattha oounty rould bo rali?rd et
73 0
t duty besaum or the raat that themuu xi0
oounty~~iOiM to keep t&o itd8Od aowun*
Or th. lpUl8e8 iIlOid8Ut $+3 Bho ~U~t~O.~r
ths rorlgaatlonor Dr. Huwah. The bone On@*
prgccdo:n"h~a~t~~~a 11188s *UPPlY $0
suoh&hi#@ 88 ".!%8
ut8J.ye88888 1al to tElr 0 or and oonYah80 0,
uad the duty or Ohe OOUntf ~4rloian ia t?~*
Hon. Geo. W. Cox, page 11
partioular keeping an itd29a
0r aaoouut 0r
8Xp8nditUreSla, at tist, only mlnlsterlal In
Its nature, and the liability or the oouuty
not made to depend upon his oompllanoe. Ii
such were the oame, the oounty oould in the
most marltorlour ossea avoid all liability by
refusing to appoint such auditing orrloer.
Further, it was the duty or the county judge
of appellant county to appoint another physl-
elan upon the resignation of Dr. Hannah.*
,.
Dstob