Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-07-29
TWO THOUSAND OFFICIALS TO REGISTER
ALL BIRTHS AND DEATHS IN OKLAHOMA

quate penalties are provided for fail
ure to make prompt reports. No un-
dertaker iH permitted to bury body
without first obtaining a burial per
init. This provision not only is n
protection against crime but affords
check on death reports. In other
ways provision Is made for an Ell
cient check on such reports so that
/, will be possible to ascertain whether
or not they are being fully ana
promptly reported.
The Importance to the people Of
Oklahoma of such n law cannot be
overestimated. Accurate vital static
ties furnish the basis for nearly all
efficient health work. Unless II Is
known to what degree the people OF IA
state or section of u state are suffering
from any particular disease 1t Is Oh
viously impossible to take practical
preventative measures. They not only
give a warning. but they afford an
index TO the progress made in check
ing epidcmics or other diseases.
Accurate birth statistics are ~ I'm
portant as accurate death records. so
many emergencies are likely to arise
In life that 1t Is n grave injustice 10
any child not to have an official rec
ord OF It's birth available. Every per-
son should be In position to prove
W ueu ana NiltIe ne was bOlU Hls oi
what parontagc. Often transfers or
property or inherittances are depend
ent upan such records. Many cases
arose in the recent military registra-
tion where men were put to ombar-
rassment at least thru inability to
prove their exact age The enforce
ment of child labor and other laws
| depends to large degree on sucn
records. Every mother should make
II point to see that the attending
physician files record of the birth
of her child Any neglect Of this Is
unfair to the child.
Prevention OF Blindness.
on all the birth certificates sent
out under the new law is a query 70
the attending physician asking as 10
whether he has used n solution of
nitrate of silver on the infants eyes.
The object OF this is to prevent blind
pess. There are thousands of per-
sons in the country and certainly hun
dreds in Oklahoma whose blindness Is
absolutely unnecessary. BY the use
of this solution all such tragedies
could have been averted. The solu-
ton is harmless and as a precaution
should be used on the eyes Of every
infant
At present the recording Of births
and deaths is promptly and efficiently
handled in most OF the larger cities
and many rural districts of this state.
But In many others. thru carelessness
or Indifference an unsatisfactory con-
dition obtains. 1t is hoped that un-
der the operation OF the new law
Oklahoma soon will have full and ac-
curate statistics and be eligible for
admission into the federal registra-
tion area. Oklahoma is one of the
few states of tho south and southwes,
to put in force this model resistra-
ton law.
Birth Certificates.
The phases of the new law of most
general interest are the requirements
for the birth and death certificates.
The birth certificate requirements
are:
G) Place Of birth, including state, county,
township or town, village or city. II IN a
city, the ward street and house number II
In a hospital or other institution the name
OF the same TO be given, instead of the street
and house number.
(2) Full name Of tho child. II the child
dies without name. before the certificate
is filed enter the words. "Died Unnamed
II the living child has not yet been named
at the date OF filing certificate OF birth, the
space for "full name Of child Is to be
let blank, to be filled out subsequently by a
supplemental report, as hereinafter provided
(3) Sex OF cidld.
(4) Whether twin, triplet of other plural