The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-11

MISS KENNEDY
Continued from page L.
pleteness than for practical benefit.
The machinery provided for the gath
ering Of vital statistics Is utterly In.
adequate. Vital statistics is the
science OF numbers applied to the life
history Of states and nations. The
compilation Of accurate records OF
births. deaths, diseases and accidents
is the indispensable first step in any
serious effort to prolong life and
make it more efficient. a board or
department Of health without vital
statistics is like an army engaged in
war without scouts and spies to as
certain the number and position of
supplies aud their plan of attack"
Says DR.. Wilbur: Sound vital sta
.tistics are the Indispensable basis of
modern sanitation. A nation that
does not consider it necessary or is
not able to provide adequate means
for registering the births of its own
children or for officially recording
the deaths of its citizens can hardly
be supposed to attach sut1icient value
to human life to enable sanitary
measures for Its conservation to be
adequately carried out"
birth rate and death rate? We don t
Know. What is the average duration
Of life in West Virginia? We don't
know. Have we any figures for exact
comparison with other states Of the
number Of the insane and the defec-
tive? We have not. Have We the
exact figures to shaw the mum Der 0s
cases Of tuberculosis. typhoid fever.
pneumonia. cancer, scarlet fever AMI
similar serious diseases? We have
not. However, while exact figures
are not ayailab BILE, lhosesof us who are
officially and otherwise in touch with
these matters have correct, though
only approximate, idea Of the status
of our vital assets. And feel iusti-
| fed in saying to you that the dura-
ton of life in West Virginia. is not
as long as It. should be- and moreover.
Fit is not as long as 1t is in neighbor-
ling states of like physical envirop-
ment. Were it not for the constant
stream of immigration incident to our
industrial development. this fact
would have become strikingly evident
to anybody We have too many
deaths from preventabls diseases.
Our conditions in Clarksburg are
Just about as unsatisfactory as in the
state. Not long ago j visited the clerk
Of the county court to get some sta
tistics and see the records or births
and deaths in our county and I am
convinced Of the; ineficiency of
Them. Although "A feeazof Inventive
cents isspaid for every birth and death
reported and a. supposed fine OF $40
Imposed for the neglect Of it, many
are not reported The deputy In the
Iscounty clerks Office told me they
We're not responsible for enforc ement
of the law; it is the duty OF the pros
ecuting attorney, and OF course he
does not know whether they are re-
ported or not. Some physicians here
have admitted that they do not report
deaths but leave 1t to, the undertak-
sers. In some states an Undertaken is
not allowed to bury a person without
certificate from physician or cor
oner Here they may be reported by
even a member Of the family or friend
or neighbo Foul play is easy under
such circumstances. The cause OF
death is also given by them which
accounts for the indefinite causes In
the register such as liver OF stomach
trouble, or&more common still, @com-
plications.
Death certificates tell the modern
health officer just what are the chief
Weaknesses in his sanitary arrange
ments. Too many cases Of typhoid
point to bad water supply, to an In
adequate sewerage system or to pol
lutel milk. "A large number Of deaths
from tuberculosis points out a distinct
health policy to the. community and
tells definitely whether the facilities
at hand are sufficient to cope with the
situation. Today no community can
properly safeguard the health of its
people If it has not at hand accurate
end complete statistics OF sickness
and DEATH
We have some laws but we do.:not
enforce them andfsome one has said
failure to enforce heaIt tn. laws fs n
more serious menace to health and
morals than drunkenness and tobac-
CO cancer.
Although the appointment OF our
acting health officerTha not been con-
|.hrmed by the state board, he has
proved quite efficient during our re-
cent smallpox scare and declared he
vas going to put "a speedy stop to It
and 7 think he has succeeded We
have not compulsory vaccination but
there Is q law which gives power to
I the health officer TO tquarantinesanax -
posed person cif he refuses vaccina-
ton. And this was enforced with
compulsory vaccination. smallpox
A Specific = galnsf Colds.
.z.st-..If there As such a thing as u
specific against cords, ft Is to be
open bed room. Next to that comes