Evening journal., 1910-12-28

kEUISIKAIIUN UF
VITAL STATISTICS
Census Bureau Issues a PhySi-
Clans Pocket Reference to
Causes of Death
WOULD HAVE REPORTS
MADE PROMPTLY

WASHINGTON, ID. c.. Dec. 2s.-In
furtherance Of its advocacy Of the ex-
tension of the registration Of deaths
aud births throughout the United
States, the Census Bureau Is issuing
to tho health officers and medical
students of the country physicians
pocket reference to the International
List OF Causes Of Death.
The Registration Movement
Tho progress Of the movement for
better vital statistics for the United
States is briefly summarized. and the
essential principles of registration.
as embodied in the model law adopted
by the American Public Health As
sociation and approved by the Bureau
OF the Census. are stated as follows:
Cd Immediate registration deaths
before interment, births within ten
days and, compulsorily. not less than
three days in rural districts); (2)
standard certificates (copies on re-
quests (3) compulsory burial or re-
moval permits for deaths. and some
effective check on the accuracy Of
registration for births (by deaths OF
infants under year, special enumera-
tion, newspapers) (4) efficient local
registrars, properly compensated (25
cents) for each certificate registered
and returned in compliance with law
only. and so distributed that the least
possible Inconvenience will be caused
physicians and undertakers in fling
certificates; 90 sole responsibility for
registering deaths and obtaining burial
o. removal permit in advance of in
terment upon undertaken or person
disposing Of body and sole RESPONSE
bility for registering births, within
the time limit set by law. upon the
attending physician or midwife (par-
ent I'm absence of such attendancel ;
(6) an efficient state registrar. with
full power and responsibility 10 en-
force the law, In direct connection
with the local registrars (any county
official intervening in any capacity be-
tween the state registrar and local
registrars means failure Of the law
ca prompt monthly returns of the
original certificates from the local
registrars to the state registrar, with
report of mo births" or mo deaths
3 when such was the case and ofIicia
b statement of completeness of regis
, tration or report Of delinquents; (Sl
r all this is useless to secure complet,
! legal records and statistics of IN,
highest practical value unless penal
ties are provided i'm the law and those
penalties are enforced.
The worthlessness of a great part o
our birth registration laws depend
upon the non-enforcement laws de
pends upon the non-enforcement o
E the penalties of the laws by thos
officials who are charged with thei
enforcement, largely from unwilling
ness to antagonize prominent mem
bers OF the medical profession VIII
occasionally, or regularly, disregar
their duties relative TO the registra
tion Of births. The profession shoul
/ encourage the effective administrati1
of such laws by cheerfully an
promptly complying with them. an
by supporting the efforts of healt
s officers and other registration official
e in the performance of their plai
Z. duty. Have you failed, Doctor, to rec
e ord any birth that has occurred /
e your practice? Your neglect ma
+ mean loss of money, lack of proof {
legitimacy, difficulty in proof of az
5 for the requirements Of school an
labor laws, and may perhaps work a
! irreparable wrong to the child I'm III
:. ture years. II so. please complet
> your service to the family by regi.
- tcring the birth DO II nowi
The Census Bureau will. upon r,
10 quest, supply physicians referenC
\ leaflets. specimen copies OF the r,
# vised United States Standard Certif
a cate Of Death, and Of the model regil
= tration law.