The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-05
$500 DllIIs IIE
REPORTED N year


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1915. Virginia V manifsstly mot suffer-
ing from race suicide. Nevertheless.
this State Bureau Of vital statistics.
which today gave out preliminary
figures for the past year. believes that
carelessness and inattsntioi. are still
denying many virginia babies the
legal protection OF proper birth regis
tration. ---.----.--.-
OF the 5000 births reported for
the year. $3.50 were from the prae-
tice of physicians and 23,313 from
midwives. with S43 births with un-
known or unspecifled attendant. These
figures show what health ofYicers re-
gard as gratifying increase In the
number Of children delivered by
physicians and decline in the num-
Der whose fate was in the hands of
midwiyes. Physicians reported dur
ting 1915 f,228 births more than DUR
ing 1914, stiil-births included.
In an effort to insure parents and
children the protection sought to ha
given kinship. titles to property.
names, ages and the like by the vital
statistics law, the State Board OF
Health has complied the returns of
individual physicians. These make
an unusual exhibit. A total Of 232
physicians reported no births during
the year and 666 reported only from
one to fve births each. AS the aver
age number reported by physicians
was AZ, officers Of the board and OF
the Buerau OF Vital Statistics are at
loss to understand why 80 many
physicians fell below the figures for
the State. 1t is feared that many
physicians are still inattentive to the
provisions Of the law and do not re-
port the births occurring in their
practice. Parents, declares the board.
will be abba to determfn this in In
dividual cases. Within three months
after q birth Is reported in due form
for children Of lawful wedlock, q brief
transcript Of this birth certificate a
sent the mother. n this - not re-
ceived within three months, It Ia either
because OF some defect IN tho form of
the certificate or else because no GER
tificats has been sent In by the
physician as required by law for the
protection OF his patients The moth.
ers OF children three months old who
have not received birth cards Ara
urged to report that fact to the state
Bureau of Vital Statistics that their
interests may be safeguarded
But while some physicians report
rev oirths, or none at all, others have
established records which health Of
.fcers declare unique. DR.. Frank NJ
Reade. OF Richmond. stands ax this
head OF the list. During 1915 he died
with tho State bureau. through the
Richmond board Of health, csrffficates
OF the birth of I'll babies. Four other
physicians reported from 100 to III
births and eleven reported from 10
to leo births Eighty-six physicians
reported from so to ~ births each.
Birth registration said an ofiloex
OF the State board yesterday, in dis
cussing the report for 1915. may
prove the most important legal aues-
ton in the lives of those who are the
babies Of today. The right Of catixens
to property. to ONCE. to the electoral
franchise. to say nothing Of the nors
embarrassing questions Of legitimacy
may hinge on whether or not the
physician who attended The mother
dled the report which the law requires
in every instance. Most physician1
properly regard this a. an essential
part Of their routine duties at child
birth; others are negligent. Parents
who ara In ths least doubt a. to th<
record Of births reported since this
vital statistics law became operative
in June. 1912, should satisfy them.
selves for the protection Of their chill.
dren."