, 1896-09-26

steps 10 impress on Inc auIhOrltl6S at nome,
that the birth of such children also must be
reported, if they are born alive. and that af-
terwarls then subsequent death must lie re-
ported. With regard to this Island Of St. Croix
there is h however that particularly. that there
exists an ordinance, which gives certain rules
W It'll regard to til reporting Of births. The
ordinance Of the 9th Of September 1857 81
prescribeS in It's first section. that every birth
in the Island shall be reported within a
specified time. AMI says thereafter in its
second section. that by i birth is to be un-
derstooi a BIRTH taking place lfter the middle
of the aeyenth month Of pregnancy" The
limitation contained IN these last words
might naturally seem to imply. that chill
dren VINO are born before the middle of the
seventh month Of pregnancy, even if they are
born alive, are TO be considered as ahorLiOus,
and that their birth shall nor he reported.
1t is however evident, that it has not been
and could not have been the meaning Of the
said ordnance to alter the Fundamental
principle in the law, that no living child
born of a woman i an abortion; but as the
wording of the ordinance can give rise to a
misunderstan iiug and may cause, that the
proof Of the birth of a living child an If
the time of its birth may be lost, the Minis
try OF Finances has requested the Govern
ment to have the matter rectltied bv a new
ordinance, and in consequence thereof this
present draft of Ordinance is laid before the
Council. 1t will be seen that the second
section Of the Draft prescribes, that the
obligation to report embraces all children
born alive. including also such as lack the
force to survive, and further such stillborn
children Is are born after the expiration Of
the 2Sth week of pregnancy, and that con
49,. ,.tl "a ~ ,t. ..- N..l -. ~ ,.r,,
to tho necessity Of reporting the birth also If
children who are born alive, although before
1hs expiration Of the Is week Of pregnan-
cy.
1t Will farther b. noticed, that the Draft
introduces the correct thine limit after the
expiration of the 2Sth week Of pregnancy as
deciding how far a stillbon child must be
considered as mn abortion instead Of the ''timo
limit. after the middle # the 1th month OF
pregnancy as stipulated in the Ordinance Of
the 9th OF September 1857.
Ihr Acting Wee Governor thoreupon re-
commended the Draft If Ordinance to the
adoption by tue Hon. Council.
No one else requested tn. word lst Dis
tussion was closed.
The Council with the consent of Govern
ment al peel unanimously with 10 votes to
proceed at NICE t., ths 2nd Discussion Of the
said Dratc.
No amendments were proposed.
md ..emher for Christi ansted's Country
District (Stokem1nn would beg to ask if the
Honorable Government do not think that
there are some incorrections or rather some poor
expressions in The translation Of the Draft.
for instance the term force to survive it
seemed to him that the term power to sur
vive' would at east have been preferable
while vitality appeared to be the most
adeQ late word for the occasion.
The acting Fjcegoreraor said the Govern
ment's Translator is an EngliShman it must
be supposed that he used the correct and
adequate term in the respect mentioned by
the Honorable Member (~Staksmann) and it
is certainly 50 that the word vitality does
not, according to what he had found in
.sWebsters' cover the idea intended. or signi-
fv the same as that which is to be implied by
'sforee to survive. 1t will be remembered,
that the Danish Text is the official one; the
English translation is always Of secondary
consideration. He should think that it would
be best to let the translation remain as it is
if we were now to make amendments therein,
that would retard the final discussion of the
Draft; moreover, he had been many years
Member Of the Colonial Council, and he did
not believe that it has been customary for
the Council to make alterations or amend
ments in the Trau>lationS, and hence we
$50. -. 49,, 1880, 49,. t.,,ul,4i,,,o IN FnOf