THE SANITARY LAW FROM 1888

The Sanitary Law is entered at the V^th Common National Assembly in the second regular session /15 October – 18 December 1888/. By that time the “Temporary Rules” commissioned by Dr D. Mollov in 1879 were valid and an annex with seven civil sanitary laws were complemented by Dr Iv. Grimm in 1882. This jurisprudence did not spread over Eastern Rumelia where other sanitary decrees were in order. Now there is a controversy aroused here. A contention is that in 1884 a sanitary law was enforced by Dr Georgy Atanasovich, the then health minister of the principality. However, stenographic protocols from the V^th CNA as well as the anniversary book by Dr M. Russev from 1904 show that such law was non-existent. It is true that Dr Atanasovich prepared a draft but the violent developments from 1885 hampered it being considered and approved.

Principal cause for the creation of new law is the Unification of North and South Bulgaria – a tempestuous event in the first decade after the Liberation. There was a pressing need to revoke the outdated matters of the previous law and to provide an even development for the newly built country. Prime-minister Stephan Stambolov who was Minister of Interior as well, remark: I would like this new law to be a better one because it belongs to the bulgarian people and we all feel happy when he is well. Further, the particulars were elaborated by Dr Panayot Zhechev – head of the Supreme Medical Council. It was approved by the National Assembly under title”Sanitary Law” and ratified with princely edict /”ukase”/ on 18 December 1888.

With the new law health care is included fully in the administrative apparatus of the state. Within the Ministry of Interior is created a Civil Sanitary Directorate which remains a governing body till 9 September 1944. The membership of the Supreme Medical Council is enlarged. It includes the most able and authoritative specialists with a prerequisite for them to be bugarian subject. The Supreme Medical Council is presided by the Minister of Interior but when he is out from the country – by the minister of the Civil Sanitary Directorate. Supreme Medical Council remains the upmost consultative organ.

The Sanitary Law defines the liabilities of county, district and municipal doctors. Also county hygienic councils are created as most important local sanitary authorities which function by 9 September 1944. They include managers of administration and health care in the county, namely: the mayor of the central county city, the county physicians, a member from the county hospital, the county veterinary, an engineer, a pharmacist and a military. First time private medical establishments are regulated under state sanitary authorities. Also first time prostitution is put under surveillance. Official Pharmacopoeia until then is unequivocal – under Russian and Austrian supervision. Afterwards, remains only Russian Pharmacopoeia. Encouragement of drugeries is promoted and mainly by bulgarian subjects.

A novell act is deliverance of free health care to poor strata of population. This is forerunner of future totally free socialist health care after 9 September 1944. Meanwhile, article 64 from the Sanitary Law, say: Municipal doctors are liable to take care of poor unwell according to a list of names declared poor in the community, that is, those people should be treated for free. This is not superficial state charitable act. Its a critically considered plan answer to the demands of the needy. Also, special committees are formed in the community enforced to support municipal and private physicians. As far as we know, democratic innovations of such kind are not to be found in foreign sanitary legislation. In Russia sporadic cases of free health care for rural population is encountered in some rich gubernks /”zemstva”/. Working class movement in Germany makes Bismark government to create sick hospital funds but this is inconclusive reform. Free medical care for economically week social strata is introduced fully in Western Europe after World War II.

More comments on the Sanitary Law from 1888 show that some proponents discuss whether the law was a copy of the actual one in Roumania. Dr Zolotovich points which exactly clauses are captured from it and what is not just a mechanic translation from a backward social origin from our northern neighbor. In fact, the law reflect the new democratic traditions of Bulgarian system of state. As early as 1861 in Tzarigrad an organization for free medical care for poor bulgarians exist. Not without importance is the mere vigor with which the surviving heroes from the fights for National Revival contribute. Chairman of the V^th National Assembly is famous Zachari Stoianov. Members of parliament are Georgi Zhivkov, Dimiter Petkov, Traiko Kitanchev, etc. The architect of the Sanitary Law is Dr Panayot Zhechev /1853-1903/ - graduated medicine in Bucharest, volunteer in the Liberation War as a battalion doctor in a Romanian regiment. All those people work for the moral and spiritual ideals for which they sacrificed.

In 1903 enters another public health law which keeps many of the statutes of the previous one. Toma Vassilov, eminent character and contemporary from that period, writes 50 years later: Sanitary Law from 18 December 1888 gave a new and powerful impact towards improvement of sanitary care in the country.