The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-28
The Law Applying to Births and
Deaths.

REGISTRARS OF vital statistics in
Wayne county complain that there
is a great laxty in the reporting of
births and deaths, in direct violation
of the law, and that if there is not
more prompt action on the part of
physicians, midwives, and parents,
prosecutions will follow.
For the benefit of the people of the
county, who may not be aware of
the law on this matter, the sections
of the Act of 1908, approved, of
Pennsylvania, are here published.
Section 6. That stillborn children
or those dead at birth shall be reg
istered as births and also as deaths,
and certificate of both the birth
and the death shall be filed with
the local registrar, in the usual
form and manner, the certificate of
birth to contain, in place of the
child, the word "stillborn." The
medical certificate of the cause of
death shall be signed by the attend
ing physician, if any; and shall state
the cause of death as "Stillborn,"
with the cause of the stillbirth, if
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and, if born prematurely, the period
of uterogestation, in months if
known; and burial or removal per-
NIT in usual form shall be required.
Midwives shall not sign certificates
of death for stillborn children; but
such cases, and stillbirths occurring
without attendance of either physi-
clan or midwife shall be treated as
deaths without medical attendance,
as provided for in section eight of
this act.
Section 12. That all births that
occur in the State shall be immedi-
ately registered in the districts in
which they occur, as hereinafter
provided.
Section 13. That it shall be the
duty of the attending physician or
midwife to file certificate of birth,
properly and completely filled out,
giving all of the particulars required
by this act, with the local registrar
of the district in which the birth oc-
Cured, within ten days after the
date of birth. And if there be no
attending physician or midwife, then
it shall be the duty of the father or
mother of the child; householder or
owner of the premises, manager or
superintendent of public or private
institution, in which the BIRTH oc-
Cured, to notify the local registrar,
institution, in which the birth oc-
the fact of such birth having oc-
Cured. 1t shall then, in such case,
be the duty of the local registrar to
secure the necessary information and
signature to make a proper certificate
of birth.
Section s. That in case of any
death occurring without meulcal at
tendance, it shall be the duty of the
undertaken to notify the registrar of
such death, and when so notified the
registrar shall inform the local health
officer, and refer the case to him for
immediate investigation and certifi-
cation, prior to issuing the permit
Provided, That when the local health
officer is not qualified physician,
or when there is no such official, and
in such cases only, the registrar is
authorized to make the certificate
and return from the statement of
adequate knowledge of the facts.
Provided, further, That if the cir
cumstances of the case render it
probable that the death was caused
by unlawful or suspicious means, the
registrar shall then refer the case
to the corner for his investigation
and certification.
Section %. That if any physi-
clan, who was in medical attendance
upon any deceased person at the
time of death, shall neglect or re-
fuse to make out and deliver to the
undertaken, sexton or other person
in charge of the interment, removal
or other disposition of the body,
upon request, the medical certificate
of cause of death, hereinbefore pro-
vided for, he shall be deemed guilty
of misdemeanor, and, upon con-
viction thereof, shall be fined not
less than five dollars nor more than
fifty dollars. And if any physician
shall knowingly make a false certi-
fication of the cause of death, in any
case, he shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not less than
fifty dollars nor more than two hund-
red dollars.
And any physician or midwife, in
attendance upon a case of confine-
ment, or any other person charged
with responsibility for reporting
births in the order named in section
thirteen of this act, who shall neg
lect or refuse to file proper certi-
ficate of birth with the local regis
trar, within the time required by
this act, shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor, and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not less than
five dollars, nor more than fifty dol
| lars.
And if any undertaken, sexton, or