The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-12
SHOULD THE DOCTORS BE PAID
FOR REPORTSs

The preservation in official records of
vital statistics is of high importance.
Every Government of any consequence
requires the reporting of marriages,
births and deaths, and that record shall
be made Of the same The facts are
needed for so many reasons that it is an
insult to intelligence to recount them.
So the laws of this State wisely require
those who perform the ceremony of mar
riage, the accoucher for births, and the
physician who gives the certificate of
death to report the fact in each case, that
it may be recorded, and statistics thus
ascertained that are useful in the making
of vital history.
But there appears to be an effort, on the
part of some physicians, to create a senti-
ment in favor of their being paid from
public funds for the service of reporting
the clergymen and judicial officers are
yet to be heard from, but their claim
would be just as reasonable.
On what good grounds can such claims
be based? Why should the city or
county or State pay fee for such service?
The physician is exempt from jury duty,
he can then at least do the State this
much of service in return for the privi-
lege he enjoys. But, reply some of the
doctors, it is not the amount of money,
but the principle involved; the State
ought not to ask service of us without
payment. We should not be placed in
this matter upon level with merchants,
mechanics and others, because ours is
scientific knowledge and we use it for
the public good without reward, in many
ways and often, and for this reporting
business, therefore, our services should
be recognized as of value worthy of pay
ment.
This viii not do. The doctor is as
sumed to receive his fee for service upon
the patient, or the mother, and the MAX
ing of certiica ate of the result is cleri-
cal rather than scientific, since it deals
only with events. Other citizens are re-
quired to serve upon grand, petit and
coroner's juries without adequate COM
pensation; they are required to serve in
posses, to take up arms, if need
be, and do other duties to the
State, which doctors generally escape.
No one doubts the generosity Of
pbvsioiapS or dayiae +bot +l,o,, Il = = 800,
deal Of work for which they receive
nothing. But it is one of the rules OF
their code-in which they take extreme
pride-that they always respond to the
cry of distress, and it is still another that
they contribute freely of their knowledge
10 advance science and swell the sum Of
human intelligence. To that end doctor
is forbidden by his code from secreting q
discovery, or patenting tit is dishonor
to do either. And for this high stand the
profession is to be applauded. But the
gathering and presentation of vital sta
tistics adds to the sum of human knowl.
edge, serves science and medicine, and
their followers ought to be beneath con.
tending for fee in adding more facts tc
that sum.
tits said by one physician taking the
opposite view, that the report of birth
concerns the parents moro than any one
else. Not so; the State is concerned, fol
the reason already stated, and also il
preventing concealment OF births and The
consequent promotion of illegitimacy anC
infanticide; for that reason, and to pre-
vent and discover crime it is necessary
that births be reported, and the law obi
gates parents TO do it when no physician
or midwife is employed.
Municipal regulations requiring reports
of contagious disease locations proceed
upon the level of public good the pre-
servation of the public health, and tn
stamping out of eontagion. Physician
are required to report such cases, tina
sanitary means may be brought int
play and necessary quarantine enforced
Why the people should be taxed to pay
fee to the doctor FOR reporting the fac
that he has business that nets him coin
we fail to understand. No good reason
has been advanced for it. It is said, how
ever, that compulsory reporting OF con
tagious diseases sometimes results il
concealment of such cases, because tn
householder does not wish his hous
placarded, nor his family quarantined
But that is no reason whatever for aban
doning compulsory reporting of cases {
contagious disease. 1t would be as sensi
bic to ask for abolition of the law maxim
burglary crime, because some peopl
conceal the fact of their houses bein
bnrglariously entered, in order to ayoi