Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-10-02

An incident was cited a day or two
ago where two sisters, born in this
State, were confronted with the pro-
position of furnishing legal proof of
their ages in order to obtain an in
heritance. Unfortunately, when these
girls were born in North Carolina
there was no law requiring the reg
~istration of their births, although, of
course, if they had been fine blooded
cattle, hogs or horses, instead of just
girls, they would have been properly
registered and recorded.
Now, the new state law for regis
tration of births and deaths in the en-
tire state will go into effect October
first next. 1t is needless to say that
the of this new system will
depend upon whether or not the arm
of the law is upheld, for it is almost
automatic that a law that has nc
public sentiment back of it, or at
least the support of the majority of
tile citizens is difficult Of enforce
ment.
The other day, speaking to the del
egates to the American Public Health
Association in session at Colorado
Springs, DR.. Cressy L. WILDER, Chief
Statistician of the D vision of Vital
Statistics of the Bureau of the Gen.
gus at Washington, D. c., said that
some people thought that all that was
needed was to pass laws requiring
the reporting of deaths, births or
marriages, and that the matter was
then settled.
eff 1 should be asked" said he,
what is the greatest, the underlying.
the everywhere present, and, so far
as our present experience extends.
the insuperable difficulty or hind
drance to the effectictive registration
of vital statistics in the United States,
I 'ght reply: Contempt of law We
may pass the best possible model
laws but if the state registrar or the
local registrar fails to enforce them.
or if the social workers, the physi-
clans, and the members of the Amer
lean Public Health Association fail to
respect them, our work is almost in
vain"
And DR.. WILDER might have includ-
ed the citizens at large in his cate.
sorry. Let this not be the case in
North Carolina. The fate Of the law
ia in the hands of her citizens.
DR.. WILDER went on to say this con-
tempt of law could be overcome only
nv a thorough process of education.
For instance, in the registration OF
| births there was needed most of all
a better understanding and a greater
cooperation on the part of the wo-
men. Once the women realize that
the new bureau, established for their
benefit, is seriously handicapped be-
cause of inadequate registration OF
births and infant deaths, there would
be an irresistible demand that every
birth and death be properly recorded.
Women of North Carolina, your op-
~portunity is at hand. You have failed
before. 1t is not feared that will do
so now.
The Ninety and Nine.
Every county in North Carolina is
now in line for the eradication OF
hookworm disease except Ashe, whose
county board of health recently failed
to take favorable action on the pro-
position to make an appropriation fol
The establishment of hookworm dis
~pensaries and a hookworm campaign
in that county. When Orange coun'
tvs Board of Commissioners at it:
last session voted an appropriation o
$4,000 for the purpose of co-opeTat
ing with the State Board of Health
the ninety-ninth county was in line
for recently Randolph and Davidson
have made similar appropriations. /
: is earnestly hoped that Ashe will fin
ally come into her own.