In case a petition is signed by two hundred and fifty taxpayers and presented to any city council of the second, third or fourth class or any county commission, for the appointment of a public health nurse or nurses or that any place infected with infectious or contagious disease be disinfected, as designated in section 192.140, it shall be the duty of said city council or county commission, as the case may be, to provide for the appointment of said nurse or nurses and for the disinfecting of any infected place and to pay for the same as provided for in section 192.170.