The Nome daily nugget., 1911-04-08
THE CENSUS
 BUREAUS WORK

WASHINGTON D. C-Au interest ing statement regarding the establish ment by the census bureau of d pro visional birth registration area in inc United States, for the purpose of compiling statistics enabling the scicn tific study and prevention of infantila mortality has been submitted to Cen sus Director Durand by Dr Greasy |. Wilbur chief statistician for vital sta tistics in the census bureau. who is di- recting the work.
 Acting on the principal that vital statistics are the foundation of scicn Q tific public health work, the census bureau. through Dr. Wilbur, began in 1908 the collection of statistics of births, with a view of establishing n provisional birth registration area. This work has steadily progressed un- til at the present time the tentative area includes the New England states and Pennsylvania, Michigan and the District of Columbia, although the lat ter. which Is coextensive with Wash ington city. whose laws are made by the direct action of congress. does not register all its births In fact. it is stated, the only state in which d de- termined effort has been made to en- force thoroughly the registration of births, as the law provides, with prose cution and infliction of the penalty of the law in delinquent cases. is Penn sylvania.
 Foreign Nations Far Ahead.
 The statement notes that it may be surprising and even humiliating to the average American citizen to learn that this country is far behind most foreign nations in regard to vital statistics. and that there is not single state. nor even a single city, in the entire United States which possesses a com plete registration of births Boston claims to have the best, but only 96 per cent complete, while probably the most worthless registration of births among all the cities of the entire world. it is stated, may be claimed by Baltimore. Chicago and New Orleans
 Although foreign countries register practically loo per cent of their births it was decided by the census bureau. when it began to establish the provi- sional registration area, that the high standard abroad could not be main tained in the United States In fact. for the states whose vital statistic and records are now reported to the census bureau, the minimum aceura cN. accepted is 90 per cent.
 The transcripts of the original birth registration records in the states in the provisional area have been re- ceived at the census bureau, and tn, work of compiling the figures k being pushed to completion. Meanwhile the campaign to arouse public interest in the matter of the complete registration of births. with the especial object ot prevention of infantile mortality. is being actively and widely waged owing to the fact that, with the ex- ception of the District of Columbia and the territories, all laws governing vital statistics are state enactments and not national in origin. the task of securing uniformity in methods and thoroughness in enforcement Is most difficult. IL is only by cooperating with state medical associations and state boards of health that any prog ress is being made. The census bu- reau can and does act only upon the request and with the full cooperation Of the state and sanitary officials.
 The Bill Before Congress.
 At the present time there is a bill before congress providing for the bet ter registration of births in the District of Columbia. Such legislation for tn ulStrlct snoulu De uouei anu SldHu ard for similar bills to be presented to legislatures in other states. National associations have been formed for the purpose of arousing pubic interest in a campaign against the preyentabl' causes of death. especial! the very high mortality of infants Many lca'- ing women's clubs are alco engaged ir an educational movement atcns these lines.
 The statement adds that what is chiefly needed in planning and con ducting this work are complete and accurate statistics of infantile nor taIity for individual cities. rural dis