The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-13
MUST MAKE REPORT OF BIRTHS
DIR. LIE HARDY CALLS ATTENTION
TO THE ORDINANCES.

He IL Anxious 10 Secure Complete
Vital statistics-Physicians Mid
wives and Parents Must Report
Births TO the Health Omcer-BOdies
Must Not BE Removed From the
City without n Permit From the
Health Omcer-GeOrgia Medical So
ciety Did Not Grant the Health
Omcer's Request for Permission to
Address 1t.
Health officer LeHardy Is devoting con-
siderable attention to vital statistics. He
desires to secure complete records of all
births, deaths and marriages within the
city.
Heretofore only mortuary statistics have
been kept, and even these are Inaccurate,
on account Of the number Of bodies re-
moved outside the city for interment in
the numerous colored cemeteries. DR.. Le-
Hardy had three negroes before him yes
terday, and gave them a very sharp talk
on this account.
The undertskers are aware that a per-
nit is required before removing a body
from the city, but many negroes do not
secure the services of undertakers, es-
pecially in cases Of deaths of children, the
bodies often being merely placed in box
of convenient size and taken to some of
the colored cemeteries adjacent to the
city. There are said to be twenty-four
Of these cemeteries. This is doubtless
news to great many people
Although there is an ordinance requir-
ing 1t, not one birth in ten is reported to
the health officer, and the ordinance is
practically dead letter. DR.. LeHardy re-
quested permission recently to appear be-
fore the Georgia Medical Society in his Of
fetal capacity, for the purpose of address,
ing that body on this and other matters,
but the society did not choose to grant
the request.
In speaking of this and other matters
yesterday, DR.. LeHardy said: Twice l
addressed the secretary of the Georgia
Medical Society, requesting permission to
come before the society in my official ca
pacity hoping to obtain the help of Its
members in securing complete and rela-
bic records of births. Savannah is very
deficient in this particular, and for this
reason her vital statistics have always
been worthless. AS il is of great inn
portance that prompt information be given
to the health officer, when a case of con-
tagious disease occurs, he expected to in
terest the society in this, as we'll as IN
other matters relating to sanitary Inn
provements within the city. To the let
tiers the secretay of the society answered
as follows: Your communications were
submitted to that body at its last regular
meeting, and a motion to receive them as
Information was adopted This being the
case, 1t becomes my duty to inform all the
members of the medical profession in this
city white and black, the midwives and
| such other persons who minister to the
sick, with or without license. of the ordi-
nances governing these things, and also
to warn them that hereafter these ordi-
nances VIII be enforced that reliable sta
| tistics of births and deaths may be OBJ
| tanned. The following are the ordinances:
An ordinance to require a report to the
health officer of the city of Savannah of
the birth of every child born within the
| corporate limits of said city.
1T shah be the duty of any physician
attending a female during her confine-
ment to make a written report of the
| birth of a child Of such female, born with
| in the corporate limits of the city of Sa-
! vannah, within five days after the birth of
| the said child, which said written report
shall state the time of the birth, the sex
| and color of the child and the names of
the parents, and shall also specify the
| place of birth, giving the street and num-
| Der of the house. Should no physician be
present, 1t is hereby the duty of any mid
wife that may be present at such birth, to
make the said written report to the said
| health officer within five days. Should no
| physician or midwife be present, 1t shall
| be the duty of the parents of the said
| child to make the said written report with
| in the said time. Failure to do this with
in five days after the birth, he or she,
upon conviction, before the police court
! of the city, shall be punished by a fine not
| To doll tste ~
not TO exceed ten days, either or both, in
the discretion of the court" Passed Feb.
20, 1880
IAN ordinance to prevent the removal
of bodies of deceased persons for inter-
ment from the city of Savannah without
permit of the health officer:
THAT hereafter IL shall not be lawful
to remove. or cause to be removed, from
the city of Savannah, for interment out
side of the city, the body of any de-
ceased person without first obtaining the
permit of the health officer, authorizing
such removal. and any person violating
this ordinance, SHALL on conviction before
the police court of the city of Savannah
be subjected to a fine not to exceed $50
or imprisonment not to exceed ten days
| either or both"
An ordinance to require physicians Ia
notify the health officer of contemplated
autopsies in certain cases of contagious
or infectious diseases, etc
Physicians and citizens are required by
ordinance to report to the sanitary board
cases Of contagious, infectious or pesti.
lential disease, within twenty-four hours
after such have come to their knowledge
The penalty for failure to do so is a fine
not exceeding 500 or imprisonment not ex.
ceeding thirty days, either or both, In the
discretion of the court.
Another matter TO which DIR. IseHardy
wishes TO call attention Is that where mar.
ties desire to connect their premises wifi
a sewer no charge is made by the city
for filling and cleaning the vault on tho
property provided the sewer connectior
is made at the same time with the hlline
of the vault Permission to connect will
be granted by the health officer without
charge