Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-21
FOR NEW HEALTH LAWS
CHANGES NEEDED IN BIRTH AND
DEATH REGISTRATION.

MS spare time to careful analysis of the
deficiencies of certain of the health lawS~4of
! the District, and planned to secure more
comprehensive and specific legislation, Dr.
William c. Woodward. health officer of the
District, has just rounded into shape three
important measures, which after careful
scrutiny as to form by the corporation
counsel will be forwarded to Congress
with favorable recommendations The
three drafts of bills, as received today by
the Commissioners, contemplate better reg
istration of births and of deaths in the Dis
trict, apd the further regulation of the
custody and disposal of dead bodies Com
missioner mcfarland approved the general
idea carried in the proposed bills, and
moved their reference to Corporation Coun-
sci Thomas
Woodward has attempted a solution in the
draft of the bill. with reference to registra-
ton of births, is that concerning Identified
ton in after life. when such identification
may be necessary in court of law, of chill
dren born in the District of Columbia.
The proposed law authorizes the Commits
sdoners to determine what data Shall be
called for in making returns of births, sub
ject, however, to the condition that all data
shall be called for that are necessary for
the purposes Of the federal census, and
that no data shall be called for which will
disclose the Identity of the parents of
illegitimate child or of the child itself. In
framing the penalty clause an effort has
been made .sto- stimulate the reporting of
births by providing cumulative penalty,
but at the same time provision is made
whereby physician who discovers that he
has failed to make report within the al
lowed time can make the report later with
out furnishing evidence that might be used
to- convict him of violating the law The
penalty provided is a fine not exceeding 500
or imprisonment not exceeding ninety
days, or both such fine and Imprisonment,
ha dissertation n he nd f1rtb er
that each week or part of week that a
port required by the act is delayed be-
yond the specified time shall be considered
as a separate and distinct ofYense 1t is
required that report of birth shall be
made by the attending physician or midwife
not later than the Saturday first ensuing
after the expiration of three secular days
Immediately following the date of birth.
The issue of fictitious reports of births and
the unauthorized altering of any report of
birth are made separate offenses.
Registration of Deaths.
The proposed law covering the better reg
1stration of deaths makes 1t necessary that
the death certificate of the future shall in
dicate clearly the source of all personal in
formation regarding the deceased The
same section also provides for the recognl-
ton by the health officer, as the proper
basis for the issue Of burial permits of
death certificates ISSUED by physicians IN
the discharge Of their official duties as Off
GERS of the United States government, even
though such physicians have not been reg
istered at the health Office. DR.. Woodward
states that federal officers have occasional
ly been embarrassed by the fact that even
though they were in charge of important
federal medical institutions located within
the District. they could not issue valid death
certificates for the patients dying in the in
stiutions under their care.
n1vrar n
permit the health officer and his au-
lrthozed agents to issue permits for the
removal of dead bodies from place to
place within the District without waiting
for the receipt of death certificates this be-
Ing Intended to facilitate the removal of
bodies from hospitals and other places
when such removals become desirable dur
Ing the night or the early hours of the
morning or on Sundays and legal HOLIDAYS,
when the permit Office of the health depart
ment Is closed"
Under existing statutes 1t Is unlawful
under any conditions and after any lapse of
time, to open. the grave of person who
has died of certain enumerated communI-
cable diseases. The health officer regards
this In many cases as an undue hardship.
because in many instanoes-the buriaIs are
hurried and without consideration of future
plans. 1t is believed that such graves can
be safely opened under certain restrictions,
and certainly after the lapse of a reason
able time. The proposed law contains such
a provision.
Other sections of the new bill provide
means of Furnishing those who by mut1iat-
ing a dead body, interfere with the work
of the coroner; authorize the health officer
and certain other persons connected with
the health department to administer oaths
when necessary In connection with the for
warding Of dead bodies into other jurisdic-
lions; and forbid the issue of fictitious GER
tificates of death and the unauthorized al
teration of such certificates There is
touch Of the gruesome to the third of the
series of proposed statutes-that regarding
the further regulation of the custody ana
disposal of dead bodies. In his explanation
of the need for the projected measure Dr.
Woodward says that among a certain class
of undertakers it is not unusual to hold a
dead body as a sort of collateral to insure |
the payment of charges OF various sorts.
Section of the proposed law forbids any |
one from maintaining custody of human |
remains against the demands of persons |
lawfully entitled thereto. Other sections |
relate to the regulation of funerals in cases |
in which the decedents have died from GER |
tain contagious diseases; 10 the duration of /
the stay of remains In aseauit. etc.