The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-29
INSURANCE HEADS
URGING PUBLICITY
FIGHTING FOR BETTER REGIsTRA-
TIoN OF VITAL sTATIs-
CAMPAIGN FOR LAW
COMMUNITIES THAT RUN THINGS IN
sHIPsHoD FASHION WILL
GET A PRODDIyG.
CAMPAIGN FOR LAW

NEW YORK, Dec 2S.-The Asso-
citation of Life Insurance Presidents
has decided to make a campaign for
laws for the proper registration of
vital statistics and their enforcement
The association will cooperate with
the United States census bureau.
which Is advocating a standard form
OF registration.
The association calls the registra-
ton OF vital statistics health book
keeping" and believe that this
method OF bookkeeping Is essential
for prolonging the lives of life in
surance policyhoiders. 1t also feels
that more. comprehensive and lasting
results can be obtained If II Is made
possible for health authorities {. OBJ,
i tain accurate information as t, the
extent and character of disease and
mortality.
The associations health committee
has made a report which has been
adopted by the association. urging a
campaign to secure better vital statis-
tics registration in those States now
below the level set by the United
States government. The report Is
signed by F. w Jenkins, of Bing-
hamton. chairman. and J. r. Clark,
! Cincinnati; w. F.. DIX and. DR.. A. s.
Knight. New York: j L. English,
Hartford: John X. Gore. Newark.
and Edgar s. Scott, Springfield. M
The committee says.
From iayman's as we'll as from
an economic viewpoint the most in
.teresting and important achievements
nave been the discoveries for the
prevention Of disease. While the as
ISOLATION Is not organized primarily
Tor such purposes, yet every thinking
person must admit that they have, a
direct relationship to the business in
which the members of the associa-
tlon are engaged, and consequently
IRE proper subjects for the consid-
Grafton OF the association itself.
medical and hygiene science in re-
| cent years have made enormou.
strides both in the control and pre-
Vention OF many forms of disease:
YET such scientific knowledge cannot
De advantageously made use OF with
out reliable vital statistics The same
| principles apply as in private bust
ness AFFAIRS A merchant cannot adj
wise as to the cost OF production or
manufacture OF goods. or as to the ac-
toai present financial condition. II no
books Of account have been kent.
Thls is SO, and even more so In the
case OF communities. In some localt-
ties the highest mortality Is expert
enced from those diseases which are
now known to be largely preventable,
Familiarity seems to breed In this case
apathy.
| 1t Is more difficult to get a COM
munity to make war against some
disease which, notwithstanding Its
nigh mortality. has been OF long
standing than 1t is to induce the same
! people to take up arms against an
uncommon disease much less danger
GUS. One mild case of smallpox In an
adjoining county will cause more
alarm than dozen cases OF malaria
or typhoid fever In the immediate
| community
| If We can by official statistics con-
vince any community that 1t Is an
unhealthful place In which to live and
that such fact will be common knowl-
edge the inhabitants will apply the
remedy. Publicity is the most ef-
fective weapon that can be employed;
1t Is greater agent in any reform
than mere mandatory legislation.
The committee recommends that
the association set aside a reasonab
sum to aid in obtaining necessary
laws for the compilation. registration
and preservation Of vital statistics.