The daily gazette., 1883-06-23
VITAL STATISTICS.

VITAL STATISTICS.
s
Laws Requiring Medical Men to Report
Deaths and Gases of Infectious Diseases
to the Public Authorities.
To THE EDIToR OF THE GAZETTE Sir
DR.. O. W. Wright, Health Officer OF Detroit,
Michigan, saws: "a municipal government
or any department Of pn Pal govern
ment, to which II. Stat ~ egateR the
necessary annoy tss Blii lS sES,;6 RT
State, or its duly al Sri m fciPalitI
may also re Aire> 51SNS Z>fs Jhes rs.
form the same duties. The public good and
the public safety require such information,
and the supreme governing agency has The
power to demand 1t from those who possess
II Sd SE4ason of their occupation and rela-
tions ia the community. The ultimate
prIncfpig On wirirh rrsts -ttris- -exercise-ct
sIn Ssn oi M ffi'if q 81 5GPsa :'i
I'd SHRsR'8,I+Ra RgPlIG AateEE XII y t tSAs91Y "a
hSdern systems III Jlu55isRrn nffeHsGep ana, al
thbugh al certaB dark psTiHds 4 shines like Ike
a beSaP f9431 an l'Ethi9p'g Ell, " sttll II NV
mIi9 k5ggsn bF,' PstPetaafI BeSSpiity anFlf
hda TN fSSlssSr rHS SSsrtI
a.|bsslHI EspS{i sipdt
s1t s1E !S 5iii$ SS $ES q ES5SS s5s
coSs&S Sd6 " q SI9a 3 S$ Vii Vii
nsIe kSiHt btRe et r. b the hgfRd spt9eegg5
Ii ia es sisia afethS W. vi say
PhAi The Rbusehbldef iifotn NhoM' the, State
" ay tS,ant soHetHtSfs does, {Squhs thS same ne
fssFlgsa frs Ffhfl az SIdtH EsstiHHlS iSh tss M
hahIenAfHHe IA III Etithtidh,
ptb SSerty' SSr ~ sbAfi hbtT1f be
if51 p54blie dpse i%it6bnt Just Teoh penSiS y
Fly t9t AppnSS bfsa here, f9t AL 'auy VI
E6h edtatHy aud e6J ~ agfeSsd nIsbAEt /!
pE tegtfatH pod tie RHat Hkl.. ..pawet aI9PeI
II fae Az fS5 Sb tnt ttlS Adepal GSteta 81
1 SE SIEaout saxs ,st tlSssy dSRs6 II
PRd Il stTspii sfat9ssH ThlS TaI rpfSyisiSSS, how
Eeg9r, RsppBiementsdby Ang@po oGtaRI cflapgst
tm Ihg FB6fteeSttf IA, &Spd we Wi, Is
t.Sthe Shaft adeptfte 9ahy IopetsoH OF life,
I flbtrtt II btopsftSS d@e SrSS9sSS prSS9sSss sitSS s.
fialI. 'hsRfid m1st& TIE SIaH cS6s tdtfoni
iAS9eaPR3y9S18 s4B tHstS Two fea,
tlrhs5 ~ be III 9fefat conbt titutidn."
l'nji * ffekdS TIE disclSsi6 I'm js narrowed down
| to dha' Two iHet hfte Hhestidhs, what is 'prop
IHerti' RhH what igV1dHg process OF lawl"
| teg}r ndehhitf9n of the first question may
iR}8sk kfHIy siiHIhSte any necessity Of answer
| .iRgl the ssSoAd Question. Is the service rem
|, ,derEd TO- the public, by physicians or house
| 'halheTs, in giving information OF deaths an(
qSnhagf6us diseases gained by the nature o
\ Their occupation or social relation, really |
! property, a vested interest. "Property anC
! law" says Jeremy Bentham (prlnciples o
the Civil Code, chap. 81, care born ant
must die together. Before the laws ther,
was no property; take away the laws al
property ceases" There is no law tina
transfers into property the knowledge of tn
existence of infectious diseases and the caus
Of death, which the physician incidental,
acquires, in the practice of his profession
The knowledge which citizen fortuitous
acquires of any fact material to the issue G
cause in litigation is not his private proE
erty, on which he may set price and refus
to part with it, except on his own termt
The State orders him peremptorily int
court and requires him to par
with his knowledge under oath. 1t
customary TO give the witnesses a smal
fee, not for what he knows, but in compen
sation for his time. A citizen who has tn
proper qualifications to act as a juror, ma
be comp He'd to attend court in that capG
city, and spend days or weeks IN the publ
service. He receives per diem, not In el
change for the exercise Of his patience, h
attention, his intelligence, his integrity an
his judgment, but as recognition of Il
S fact that his time is consumed for the ben
it of the community. His time may |
worth ten times as much as the pay he r
ceives. His services are not recognized
the State as vested interest, subject to bart
: and the fluctuations Of market price. 1t
q universally understood to be one of the In
= piled and necessary conditions upon whiC
men enter into society and form goverl
ments, that sacrifices must sometimes
e required Of individuals for the general ben
fit of the community for which they have I
, | rightful claim to specific compensation.
canuot refuse to render the services
manded by the State or by a municipali
/. duly authorized by the State, upon til
a ground that compensation is not previousl
{ or conenrTently rendered"
Mr.. Editor, am OF the opinion that Gle
gymen are bound by the same law, and L
State or municipality can compel them
e make returns OF marriages in the forms pl
r scrihed by the law. do not believe that
N clergyman can return what suits his o1
sweet WILL, and leave the rest blank.
y they are obliged by law to make a return
's a marriage, hold it must be full a
T. complete retarn. There is but one clerf
lie man in the city VINO FefVses TO comply wi
N the law. He refuses to hil up seven blan
- In the certificate, hence it is blank as far
v Nos 12, 13, IA, l5 and two others, for I
ls birthplace of the groom's parents and tn
rs names are concerned. All other minist,
A comply with the law by making full
- turns. propose to find out whether t
~ law is not binding upon all by making
u test case before our city court. If the Il
Is cannot be enforced | want to know it. |
II satisfied with DIR. Wright's opinion in
&. rd to all persons making returns. 1t
= right that they sho4ld do SO.
at =. B. FRAZER
in WILMINGTON, June %.