Pennsylvania Act 1893-19 — HOSPITALS, LYING IN, LICENSED AND REGULATED

Act text

HOSPITALS, LYING IN, LICENSED AND REGULATED
                  Act of Apr. 26, 1893, P.L. 24, No. 19               Cl. 53
                                  AN ACT

     To provide for the licensing and regulation of lying-in
        hospitals.

        Section 1.  Board of health to grant license
        It shall be lawful for the board of health of any locality to
     license any person or persons, other than an institution duly
     incorporated for such purpose, to establish and keep a lying-in
     hospital, ward or other private place for the reception, care
     and treatment of women in labor, upon written application filed
     with the said board, accompanied by the indorsement of six or
     more reputable persons, citizens of the county where such
     hospital may be situated, who shall certify to the
     respectability of the applicant, and that the hospital, hospital
     ward or other private place shall only be used for legitimate,
     moral and charitable purposes; and if, after due inquiry of such
     board of health, it is believed that the applicant is a proper
     person, and the premises are suitable and properly arranged for
     such purpose, the said board of health shall grant a license for
     the purpose above mentioned, upon the payment of a fee of five
     dollars.  Such license shall continue in force for a period of
     two years, subject, however, to be revoked by the board of
     health granting the same, upon the violation of the rules and
     regulations enacted by the said board of health for the
     government of said hospitals, hospital wards or other private
     places.  The proprietor of every such hospital, hospital ward or
     other private place kept for lying-in purposes, shall keep a
     record in a book for that purpose containing the full name and
     address of each person admitted, the date of admission, the date
     of birth of every child, the date of its removal, and the place
     to which such child shall be removed. Such hospital, hospital
     ward or other private place, shall be subject to the visitation
     or inspection at any time by the board of health granting the
     said license, or any special officer that may be appointed for
     that purpose by the court of common pleas, upon the petition of
     any society for the prevention of cruelty to children of the
     proper county.  1893, April 26, P.L. 24, Sec. 1.
        Section 2.  Births to be reported to board of health
        The proprietor of every hospital, hospital ward or other
     private place for lying-in purposes, to which a license has been
     granted according to section one of this act, shall, within five
     days after the birth of any child, report to the said board of
     health the date and place of such birth, the name, sex and color
     of the child.  1893, April 26, P.L. 24, Sec. 2.
        Section 3.  Penalty for violation of act
        Whoever shall violate the provisions of section one of this
     act, by keeping a hospital, hospital ward or other private place
     for lying-in purposes for hire or reward, without license, shall
     be guilty of a misdemeanor, and for the first offense, upon
     conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
     one hundred dollars, and for the second offense, upon conviction
     thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred
     dollars, and imprisonment of not more than one year, or either
     or both, at the discretion of the court. 1893, April 26, P.L.
     24, Sec. 3.