The San Francisco call., 1895-11-02

been on the increase by hundreds. The
| record is the proof.
How has this wonder been wrought?
Mr.. Dockery's milk crusade is too re-
cent TO warrant its claiming any of the
credit for it, and, besides, pure milk only
stands for the preservation of the young
life after it has been created. Important
as that Is, it is the second step in the story.
The babe must first be born, then nursed
into strength and long living.
1t IS the MULTIPLICATION of births-chil-
en-babies-that the new Board of
Health has brought about, according to
the record in black and white, and the
pleasure with which Secretary Godchaux
spreads the fact upon the records and
spreads the records out upon his desk for
all men to witness is delightful TO see
while recognizing the fact that the delight
is warranted by the facts.
Here is the record for births for the past
four months. The rate of increase is pleas
urably startling, and, indeed, upon its face
indicates the working of wonders:
Births in september. ............. A
Births in October NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ..........436
If these figures mean what they say the
undertaking of the Half-milllon Club is
resolved into a sinecure-it is mere baby
play, so TO speak. All that is necessary is
to keep the present Board of Health in
office and the thing is done.
Think of it! An increase in the mum Der
Of children born in August over the number
accredited to July of seventy-seyen. Sep
tember overleaps August with sixty-five
more babies. October, undaunted by the
increase Of September, turns in that num-
be- and adds twenty-five more.
That was noble four months work
certainly. The number of babies born in
October, under the impulse of this rate of
increase, exceeds the number born in July
which was good average under the old
regime-by the magnificent figure of 164.
1t is a regiment of babies-calculated,
under this new era of pure, wholesome
milk, to grow up into q regiment of strong
and healthy men and women.
Unhappily these figures do not mean all
they say. Secretary Godchaux, pleased as
he is at the record, is forced in explaining
1T, to admit that there is more in the record
in its Gevelopm ent-than in the multi
plication of babies.
ITO be sure, the board is doing all it can
to encourage the propagation of healthy
native sons anu daughters" he said yes
terday. The record here has stood as a
lie ever since the Health Office was estab-
lished. The number of deaths has almost
always, if not always, exceeded on the
record the number of births. That cannos
be true in spite of newcomers, the CITY
would have been depopulated, instead of
spreading out from its starting point on
the bay to the far-away ocean as it has
done. But this record in its published
form has been sent broadcast over the
land and gives San Francisco black eve.
What kind of place is this, say those who
read it, where they die faster than they
are born?' Ii is reflection on San Fran
ciscos wives and husbands, and should not
be allowed to continue. The present board
is trying to correct the record, for 1t
knows the record is at fault.
The fact is" he continued, 'the physi-
clans do not comply with the law in the
matter of reporting births. | am amazed
at the carelessness shown in such an i'm
portant matter. In Europe to neglect to
report the birth OF a child is to leave
cloud upon its legitimacy, besides leaving
parents and physician liable to heavy
penalty. People here cannot wholly
escape either end of this responsibility.
The Political Code directly requires re-
turns by physicians and mdwives in cases
of BIRTH but no penalty is attached There
is City ordinance, however, which fixes
a penalty of S100, or Imprisonment for
ninety days, or both fine and imprison-
ment, for this neglect. We have, at no
little trouble, sent out warning circulars
to the physicians of the City in this mat
ter, and the great increase in the number
of births reported is the direct result We