In order to afford the department better advantages for obtaining knowledge important to be incorporated with that collected through special investigations and from other sources, all officers of the State, the physicians of all incorporated companies and the president or agent of any company chartered, organized or transacting business under the laws of this State, as far as practicable, shall furnish to the department any information bearing upon public health which may be requested by said department for the purpose of enabling it better to perform its duties of collecting and distributing useful knowledge on this subject.