The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-18
RELIABLE VITAL
STATISTICS BADLY
NEEDED IN SOUTH
DR.. Wilbur Chief Speaker
at Public Health Off
GERS Conference in
Lexington

Lexington, Ky, November 1.-THE most
important public need of the south today
is reliable vital statistics, according to
DIR. Cressy L. Wilbur. chief statistician of
the census bureau, Washington, D. C. He
was the principal speaker this afternoon
at conference of public health officials
held today as a preliminary to the open
ing here tomorrow of the seventh annual
convention of the Southern Medical as
sociatlon. The conference this afternoon
and tonight considered various important
subjects. including the Relation of the
Negro to Public Health" the night SUBJ
ject, and hookworm, milk inspection and
eugenics.
Or. Wilbur commented on the progress
made in southern states in recent years
In the way of vital statistics legislation
He urged the Importance of the selection
of state registers. said that the compen-
sation allowed and independence of ao-
ton permitted should be sufficient to OBJ
tain the service of well qualified men, In
conclusion DR.. Wilbur said:
"A fundamental means by which gov
ernment may be put at the service of hui
manity in safeguarding the health of the
nation, the health of its men and its
women and It's children as well as their
rights In the struggle for existence is the
recording of vital statisties-the true
bookkeeping OF humanity. 1t Is to our
shame that we have neglected this duty
long IA 10 p-cIo
OF health have wasted the peoples time
ana money and frittered away the peoples
hves through ignorance of the important
racts that vital statistics-accurate vital
statistics-alone can reveal.
When the children's bureau. estab-
lished for the purpose of protecting the
young and charged with the duty of
studying infant morality, is brought to a
halt by the absence of the necessary data,
IL Is time to consider why our country
stands in the rear and not In the van of
national progress.
Should Remedy Conditions
Let us remedy this. condition, for the
south which needs 1t most, and for the
entire United States by beginning right
mere with the passage and enforcement
OF thorough, modern, model registra-
ton law for the state of Kentucky"
Discussing DR.. Wilburns address DIR
oscar Bowling of New Orleans. state
health officer for Louisiana, said that
the promotion of the work depended upon
three essentials, adequate laws. sufficient
FUNDS for the establishment and opera
tion or an effective system of collation.
aAr, s1DAt
sive public He urged the transmission
to the legislature of each southern state
Where Legislation was needed a petition
calhng FOR the enactment of a model reg
lstration law and the appropriation of
adequate funds to establish the system.
Others who discussed the subject were
Or. r. P. Babcock of Austin, Tex, Dr.
FL III. Shoulders of Nashville, Tenn, and
DIR. w. A Plecker of Richmond Va
The subject of hookworm was dis
cussed exhaustively in a paper by Dr.
j. A. Farrell of Washington, D. c. on
Rural Sanitation" DIR. c. L. Pridgen of
Raleigh, n. c., told of the accrued re-
suits of 10000 treatments of the disease
Methods employed in it's eradication were
explained by DR.. W. S. Leathers of Uni
versity, Miss. Other speakers were DR..
j. LaBruce Ward of Columbia, S. c.. and
DR.. j. d. Baucum of Natchitoches, La
DR.. Lee A Stone of Memphis, dealt at
some length with the subject of "Eu-
genics," while the symposium on the
question of milk inspection was led by
w. A. Evans, president of the American
Milk commission, Chicago. DR.. William
Litterer of Nashville Tenn, DR.. L. B. Nc
Brayer of Asheville n. c., We're others
who discussed the preventive practice.
Speakers at tonghts session advocated
better living conditions for the negro,
better sanitation and an extension of
education in social hygiene, also urging
that landlords of tenement property CO.
operate in such measures as may be un-
derta<en. The conference went on rec
ord as favoring the giving to the negro
of every chance to become a better citi-
zen. 1t was said that the negro can i'm
prove only as he Is permitted to, only as
he is assisted, and only as the way is
pointed out by his white nelghbor.
Negroes Disease Carriers
Several speakers referred to the extent
of the danger of the negro as a servant
in the homes of white people as carrier
of disease and this danger was considered
to be perhaps more imaginary than real.
Proper care was said to be prudent and
1T was urged that the family physician
be called upon to examine the servants
as we'll as the members OF the family.
Principal speakers on the programme
were: DR.. p. B. Barringer of Charlottes-
Vile, Va. who discussed "The Negro
Problem Dr. K. A. Hilton, of Eldorado.
Ark, who spoke on 1.-The Negro In Rela-
ton to public health;'' DIR. c. Z.
Terry, of Jacksonville, Fla. whose sub
ject was ''The Negro as a Public Health
Problem Dr. E. II. Jones, OF Murfrees-
boro, Tenn. who discussed "Tbe Negro