The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-23

the request OF captain AmunQSen the
explorer, that he be allowed to take
he. starts for the Antarctic regions from
the west coast of South America next
winter
Colonel Goetha1s said:
worthy vital statistics said DR. Cressy,
rs coming more and more to be ap-
preciated. Accurate figures, showing low
rates of mortality and the rare occur
renee of epidemic diseases not only at
tract that most valuable and intelligent
class of immigration, but they also bring
in manufacturing institutions and busi-,
ness enterprises of all kinds. Wealth is
created by population, but people will
not go to localities of whose sanitary
condition they must remain in ignorance
through the absence of reliable vital sta
tistics based upon the effective registra-
ton of births and deaths. The absence
of such data in itself implies disre-
gard of the protecting agencies which
should be thrown around human life.
Imperfect, faxed, or false statistics
are worse than useless and cast doubt
upon all statements made in the pub
lications in which they are employed
The benefits of accurate vital statistics
are innumerable and the importance of
correct legal records of the births of
children and of the deaths of the cit
izens of the state is yearly becoming more
apparent. In a primitive condition of
society. with a small, sparsely settled
population corresponding to the pioneer
period of development, such records were
less essential. but we have long passed
that state of growth and the highly or
ganized conditions of modern social ex-
istence demand an adequate account of
the income and expenditure of human
life.
1.-THE chambers of commerce and all
commercial interests of the state are ben
Gifted by full knowledge of the health
fulness of Alabama and the various parts
of the state. Accurate death rates are
necessary for this purpose; death rates
based on incomplete registration do more
harm than good.
Model Registration Law
DR.. Cressy then explained the model
registration law for deaths and births
and explained its workings. He also
traced the growth of the registration
in the United States from the year 1880.
He noted that great progress had been
made in the south in this respect, but
that it was still far behind.
alabama has no vital statistics, has
never had any vital statistics, and never
will have any vital statistics,' he con-
complying with the essential require
Tments found necessary for complete reg
stration of births and deaths, shall be
enacted and enforced throughout the
state. Alabama has been a leader in
the south in the registration of vital
statistics For many years it was the
only state in the south in which the.
sy stematic registration of births and
deaths was maintained on a statewide
hos 10 allar has in
the south in the registration of vital sta
tistics although none of even approximate
value has ever been collected for the
state. Alabama is no longer leader in
this respect since Maryland and Ken
lucky, North Carolina, Virginia. Missis-
sippi, Tennessee and Arkansas have
adopted effective laws.
Alabama is far in the rear at the
present moment. and il l may, with
out risk of being considered incon-
sistent, use the words that 1 wrote to
DR.. Lewis Coleman Morris president of
the State Medical association last year,
4 am anxiously waiting the time when
Alabama Will amend her law or intro
duce radically different one, so that
the state may regain her old position
as a leader of registration work in the
south
THE results of the present Alabama
law stand self-condemned by the au-
thorltatlVe statement OF the board OF
censors of the medical association OF
the state of Alabama reporting upon
the work of registration conduct
cd by the state board OF health after
the law has been undergoing a test
of some 80 years"
Recommendations Submitted
Dr. Wilbur then gave some death
ates as reported by the census of 1910
for Alabama counties and showed that
Only the counties which contained the
cities of Birmingham, Montgomery and
Mobile were anywhere near correct
He closed his paper with the following
recommendations for the betterment of
present conditions in Alabama:
II. Ny the adoption and enforcement
Of the model law. 1t will work as well
In Alabama q IL does in Nireiina Ken