Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-09
When 1t Will BE Occupied.

one prevalent but preventable cause of
9 eaJ Is tabulated sometimes enteric
Ever te:. at other times@as typhoid-that is,
identities are put down Qualities
Then. fever unqualified and indeter-
inmate, Is given as a cause of death. This
Is 100 vague. As well call the disease a
clear case of morbuS
A foot note informs the reader that cbo1
era uranium is not separately classified
but is included in diarrhoeal diseases. By
TINS means a dangerous malady of infan-
tiie me is merged in the general intestinal
diseases, SO that any recognition of its ex-
tent or fatality is rendered impossible
what Is the use of statistics that do not
enlighten US? 800
tenn angina pectoris is separately class!-
ueo, ana then come diseases of the heart -
t but ian angina 81 pectoris is itself disease of
me heart tcoronary occlusion). Why put it
In a distinct class-like the Irishman's pig
IN drove by itself?'
so. too, Brights disease Qhe name is no.
toriously ambiguous) is singled out and
speclncally tabula ted under Diseases of
the ur mary system while all other renal
troubles are Jumped together as diseases
OF the Kidneys
..A Ascites is assigned to the category of
Diseases of the digestive SYSTEM though.
IKE other forms of dropsy, it is only a
symptom, and may be due to simple amaze
mia, or may indicate serious LESSONS of the
heart and kidneys.
These are some of the anomalies which
any intelligent reader would detect at a
glance on looking into the massive vol
umes of this report. We have not sought
upon our notice
one other phase of the subject deserves a
passing comment. In many parts of the
United States where no system of registra-
tlon exists II Is the custom of physicians to
give a certificate of the cause of death to
the relatives of the decedent. This certif-
cate OF course, serves its immediate pur-
pose as the equivalent of a burial permit
out II is not available oh
IecI detective registration laws doubt
Tess 10 blame for the disposal of many in
rants as stubborn that actually die of ne
greet or violence, that grave questions
OF medical Jurisprudence and of public
morals are involved in the subject.
since the compilations of the census bu-
sources 1t is inevitable that they should re-
tam some of the defects of the original
records 1t is desirable, however. that
1hese should be reduced to minimum.
me need Is fully appreciated, without
uoupt, by the authorities upon whom rests
the responsibility for the collation. of the
mortuary statistics for the twelfth census.
The act which provides for taking tbs
census requires (Section y that the NOR
tallty schedule shall comprehend for each
ueeedent the name, sex. color, age, conju-
gal condition place of birth and birthplace
OF parents, occupation, cause and date of
death, and, if born within the census year.
the date CT birth.
In cities or states where official regis
tration OF deaths is maintained the director
OF the census may. in his discretion with
hold the mortality schedule from the sew
eral enumerators within such cities or
states and may obtain the information re-
CURED by this act through official records
rms Is inadequate. The legislative au-
thority should gesfursher and enact meas
ure that would feaiea2 the tension of the
situation. Congress should prescribe a
form of death certificate, uniform for all
me states, and makeAits adoption and use
ooigatory in the registration of mortuary
STATISTICS Tor the census year. If this We're
done we should expect to find in the re-
ports of the twelfth census information of
permanent value concerning the ratios of
mortality from all prevalent diseases in
every part of thecouH1Ty. W. w. r.