The record-union., 1894-04-05

Inc 1GL6r6Q COLUMNS nave dll ISI0I0uCS
to children between five and seventeen
years of age, as stated, and represent:
A-TotaI number OF census children.
B-Number who have attended public
schools at any time during the then cur
rent school year.
C-Number who have attended private
schools, but no public schools, at any
time during the then current school year.
D-Number who have not attended any
school at any time during the then cur
rent school year.
In 1888 the number of children under
five years Of age was given at LAG, and
in 1892 at 2, III. 1t is very probable that
the total number and the number OF nom
attendants given in 1888 is far in excess of
the real number, and it is likely due to
the fact that MarShalS were paid so much
per name, and the returns were in
measure fictitious, but we can assume
that from that time on the enumerations
were bona tide, so far as they went, and
the question naturally suggests: Was the
census fully taken? 1t seems to me in
credible that during those years this city
has been at a standstill. if not falling off,
so far as its Juvenile population is con-
Cerned.
During my term in the late board I
questioned the accuracy of the census,
and physician Of prominence informed
me that the death-rate of the city, if it did
opinion then was, and still is, decidedly
to the contrary. The Federal census in
1870 gave Sacramento 1928 inhabitants,
in 1880 u. .420, and in 1890 70, 6,3S6-a steady
and proportiOnate increase. L have not
the means OF ascertaining the building
increase but we all have knowledge that
the resident portion Of the city has been
built up in proportion with the increase
OF population. Again, there Is constant
demand for additional schoOl-room, par
ticularly in the southeastern portion of
the city.
1t is a matter of regret that the law for
the registration of births is not observed
Section 3075 of the Political Code provides
that all physicians and professional mid
wives must keep register OF each birth
at which they assist professionally; that
they must transmit quarterly to the
County Recorder a certified copy of their
registers; and that the Recorder must
record them, and report them TO the State
Board of Health every three months. In
cases where physicians or mid wives do
not attend the parents must report, and it
is made the duty Of the District Attorney
to prosecute any person who fails to reg
lister and report. l find in the record
book of births in the Recorders office
that there have been made but forty-One
entries, the first on April 26, 1873, and the
last on December 10, 1890, before which
date no entry had been made since Feb
ruary, 1875.
OF late the only entries are in the shape
of affidavits OF physicians Of the births
of Chinese children-precautions taken
in view of the Federal laws for registra-
ton of Chinese, and perhaps to estab-
lish the American citizenship of the ma
tive SOM Chinese in the future. The
State Board of Health has repeatedly
called attention to this law and one SIM
liar relative to deaths, that data OF vital
statistics might be procured from reliable
sources; but il seems the physicians have
entirely disregarded their obligation to
comply with its beneficial provisions.
What objection there has been to 1t L do
not understand. The physician, Of all
others, should respond to governmental
obligations, for they rest on him more
lightly than upon his legal brother, or
the business man, farmer, or mechanic.
The lawyer is compelled to give his serV-
ices free in defense of the peDniless, the
business man must pay license tax for
the privilege OF selling his goods and
give his time to his country as a juror or
3 warrior. The farmer must leave his
plow in the furrow, and the mechanic
forfeit his wages to serve as juror or IN
defense of the country. These onerous
obligations are met by them cheerfully,
yet the physician fails to do his little
share.
Had there been compliance with this
law there would be some data upon
which to found an approximation OF the
relation between the rates of births and
deaths, and by assuming the death rate
under five years TO be here about twenty
per cent. of the total mortality-and
think that would be fair-we would come
somewhat near the mark that should be
shown by accurate enumerationS.
If wa assume the accuracy of the num-