BILL OF HEALTH; commercial law. A certificate, properly authenticated, that
a certain ship or vessel therein named, comes from a place where no
contagious distempers prevail, and that none of the crew at the time of her
departure were infected with any such distemper.
2. It is generally found on board of ships coming from the Levant, or
from the coast of Barbary, where the plague so frequently prevails. 1 Marsh.
on Ins. 408. The bill of health is necessary whenever a ship sails from a
suspected port; or when it is required at the port of destination. Holt's R.
167; 1 Bell's Com. 553, 5th ed.
3. In Scotland the name of bill of health, has been given to an
application.made by an imprisoned debtor for relief under the Act of
Sederunt. When the want of health of the prisoner requires it, the prisoner
is indulged, under proper regulations, with such a degree of liberty as may
be necessary to restore him. 2 Bell's Com. 549, 5th ed.