New-York tribune., 1908-07-04
TROUBLE FOR CLERGY
DON'T REPORT WEDDINGS.
Health Department Intends to
Prosecute Ministers.

The Health Department intends to prosecute
| clergymen who have failed to report marriages
| In the first half of this year. That many have
not obeyed the law which requires that reports
be made was disclosed to the department when
the records were completed, which showed de-
crease from the period OF last year of 6,ooo
and the fact that the license bureau has issued
considerably more than the number reported al
though the bureau records have not been made
up to date The failure to report is misde-
meanor punishable by a fine of 500.
The semi-annual report shows great increase
in births and a death rate that makes a new
low record for so long a period IN this city DIT
Guilfoy, who makes the sem-annual report,
says:
The six months ending June 80 have been the
healthiest six months since the organization OF
the greater city, in 1898, and in all probability
the heathiest six months the city has ever en-
joyed since the Health Department assumed
control Of the sanitary conditions of the city
The number of deaths was SS,722, death rate
of 1746 per 1000, against total of 4o,S2S
deaths rate of 1882 per 1.00e, for the corre-
spending period of last year.
If compare the death rate for the last six
months with that of the decennal average TOT
the first half of the year since 1898 we Will
find that there has been decrease of 2.26 or a
point in favor of the six months just passed
If the death rate of the last decennum were
applied to the population of the city to-day 1t
would mean that during the last six months the
number of deaths would equal 43,3S6 for the
first half Of the year. in lieu of the SS722 which
actually occurred.
DR.. Guilfoy reports decreases in typhoid fever,
influenza, pulmonary tuberculosis, whooping
cough, cerebro- spinal meningitis, acute bronchi-
It's pneumonia and broncho- pneumonia. There
were considerable increases In measles and
scarlet fever The report continues:
The number of births reported during the six
months 63.s15, increase of 6,22o over the
number reported for the corresponding period
of last year If this increase be maintained
during the remainder of the year there will be
over 10000 births reported. against 10000 in
1907
There were 1880 marriages reported, a de-
crease Of $500 from those of last year This has
been caused by the fact that. Notwithstanding
notices were sent to every clergyman In the city
that the new marriage license law did not absolve
them from compliance with the sections of the
sanitary code compelling all marriages to be
recorded at this department a great many
clergymen have neglected to send their reports
to this 6epa rtInent. and as the index of mar
rages at the City Clerks office is not in condi-
tion TO be compared with that in the bureau of
records unable to ascertain specific
cases of violation of the law. In the fall efforts
will be made to try to compel the clergynen
of the CITY to report all marriages that they
have performed during the year
when the new marriage license law went into
effect" Dr. Gufoy said yesterday, I'VE sent
notices to all the cIergymen in the city that they
would still be required to report marriages to
the Health Department. We know that the rec
ords are not complete. We could make them
complete if the work being done in the
license bureau, but the entering of the marriages
will not be completed for some time. When
ready we will make comparisons to discover who
the delinquent ciergynen are. The names will
be sent to the prosecutors office
Our birth rate" DR.. Guilfoy continued, "is
exceptionally good. But not ali the births are
reported If we should calculate our infant
mortality on the birth rate they do in Lon
dom we would make a showing as low as in
London g. better record than Berlin and
passed only by Paris"