The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-01

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PROVISIONAL birth
R| & ! ! 81 AREl
I!cENsys sUREAd as 'sEFFo IT! 10:
I! 2, WARD: PREY ENrloN Of iNFAN.
(sSTlaE$ mo RrAl!TY swHcH is
eseu sire ;h,5cH coMcERp
AMONG s;9s CLANS. u Z 3
WAS f!lNsroN, Is. ca Fss..s ~.
Interesting statement regarding the
establishment by the Census Bufeastil,
of;ayproyislonal birth registration area
in the United States. for the purpose
\ Of compiling statistics enabling the
scientific study aud prevention Of in.
fanfie mortality; has been submitted
ito Census Director Durand BY Dr..
Crcssy IL, Wilbur. chief statistician
ffor vital statistics IN the Census Blu.
reau. WHO is directing the WORK. . 4
Acting ons.the principle that vital
statistics areithe; foundation oE,sclen:
tiic public,health work, the.census
Bureaursi through Dr. Wilbur, begaf, In
1908 the collection. OF. statistics sol
SSbif.hsg with a$yieW OF ESTABLISHING q
provisional (: birth registration area;
This work shass tead \ crossed nj.
Itil mt The present time, the tentative
area Includes the New England States,
and Pennsylvania. Michigan, and the
District Of Columbia, although the lat.
i ter which is coextensiye With WASH:
ington City. whose laws are made by
the direct action OF Congress, does not
register all Its births. IN fact, 1t is
stated. the only State IN which AIDE
termined effort has been made to en-.
force thoroughly the registration OF
births, as the iaw-providGs, with pros
lccuticn and infiiction Of the penalty Of
the law in delinquent, cases, Is Penn.
syiyania. t;is x
| Foreign Nations Far Ahead. y
The statement notes that it may be
surprising and even humiliating to the
average American citizensto learn that
this country is far behind most for
eign nations in regard to vital stats.
tics, andathat there is not a single
State. nor even a single city, in the
entire United States which possesses
a complete lregistrations Of births. Bos.
ton claims to have the best but only
.96fper' cent. complete, while probably
the most worthless registration Of
births amongsall the cities OF the en-.
tire world; It Is stated, may be claimed
by baltimore, Chicago, and New Or.
leans. !, S5i.i
Although foreign countries register
practically 100 per cent. oftheir births,
TWAS decided by the Census Bureau,
when It began. to establish the proyi.
siorial registration area. that the high
standard abroad could not be main.
NJ ~ . a 4 e d q Il
tained in the United States. In fact,
for THE States whose vital statistics
and records IRE now reported TO the
Census Bureau, THE minimum accuracy
accepted is 90 per cent.
The transcripts. of.the original birth
registration records in the States in
tho provisional area have been re-.
|ceived at the Census Bureau, and the
work Of compiling the figures Is beinsl
pushed to completion. Meanwhile the
campaign to arouse public interest in,
the matter ofSthe complete regitration,
oEbirths, with the especial object 81
prevention OF infantlle- mortality, : Is.
being actively; and widely wagcd.i
Owing to tho fact that, wlth4tle OK.
ception Of the District Of Columbia
and the territories, alllaws governing
vital statistics are State enactments,
and not nationaliin origin. the task,
OF securing uniformity in methods and
tiloroughness in enforcement Is most
difficult. 1t is only by cooperating
with State medical associations and.
State boards Of health that any prog
ress is being made. The Census Blu.
reau can and does act.onlY upon the
REQUEST; and with the full cooperation.
.of;the state,and sanitary officials. y
4, n The Bill Before Congress-
s$sISAat the present time there Iissta bill
before Congress, providing for the bet!
.tenregls tratlohs Of births in Esha District,
ofs ol IA Such gislatlohs fofS tho
y