The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-23
BIRTH CAROS SENT
TO 100000 L|TTlE0kES
Vital Statistics Bureau OF Board Of
Health Anxious to Supply Legal
Record to All Childrc-
= YEARS RECORDS COMPLETED
Records for First Few Months After
Law Went Into Effect Not Salts
factory, Due to Errors in Certi-
tiCatcs.

To the mothers OF Approximately
100000 babies the State Bureau of
Vital Statistics has sent formal no.
tlco that the birth of their children
Is duly recorded in the archives Of
the Commonwealth. and this week. In
observing the century mark, the
States officers are making plans TO
complete the roll of Virginia children
born since the new vital statistics law
went into effect. They are urging
parents who have not given their
children the protection afforded by
legal record of birth to procure this
necessary guarantee of age, parent
age and nativity.
In September, 1914, the Board of
Health. through the Bureau of Vital
Statistics. began sending to the par
ents of all children whose births were
reported formal certificates signed by
the Health Commissioner and the
Registrar of Vital Statistics, showing
the date and place OF birth. the name
OF the chIld's parents and the num-
Der of the original birth certificate in
the archives of the State. The rec
ords have now been covered from Oc-
tober. 1912. to November, 1914, and
Will be continued regularly herea-
after. It Is hoped that cards can sub
sequently be sent to all children born
between June 10. 1912, when the vital
statistics law became effective. and
October of the same year. but this
is rendered somewhat difficult, health
officers state, by errors in the form of
early certificates.
Parents in all parts Of the State
are much interested in the formal
acknowledgements by the State OF the
birth OF their children and some OF
them write daily to express their
thanks for the certificates, to make
corrections or to inquire why the
cards have not been received.
Statement from DIR. Plccker.
The mailing of cards for the births
of given month" said State Regis
trar w. A. Picker today. lis not
usually undertaken until three or four
months thereafter, owing TO the fact
that many certificates are not re.
ceived, in spite OF the strict pro-
visions of law. until some time after
the birth occurs. Where a long
period elapses and no card is received.
the mother should first ask the phya-
clan II he has fled the certificate with
the local registrar This Is often over
looked by the physician. but should
be insisted upon by the parent as q
part of the physicians service to the
mother. Where the birth has been re-
ported and no card Is received by the
parent. the reason Is usually an error
in the postoffice address OF the par
ent or the failure of the physician or
registrar to state that the child's par
ents were married In cases of the
latter class. of course. no cards are
sent, and where there Is an error In
the address the card may be sent, but
will be returned by the postoffice au-
thorities. We shall be very glad to
rerptVa from mar ratification
they do not get the birth cards of
their children within four months
after the birth Of the child, and we
feel that every mother should make
certain the birth OF her baby is re-
ported in order that 1t may have the
legal protection given by proper
birth certificate"