Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-31
CHANGES MADE IN LAW !.
AS TO VITAL STATISTICS
All Physicians. Midwives, Undertake
crs and Dealers in Collins
TO Be Registered.
PROTECTION FOR UNFORTUNATE
Records as to Illcgitimatc Children
Arc Not To Re Made Public, EN-
Ccpt on Court ificatcS
of Births To BE Forwarded.

Among the important. II little adj
Vcrtised. features OF The work of the
recent session OF the General Assem-
bly, were the measures designed 10
facilitate the work Of the State Dc
partment OF Health and 10 increase the
value of its services TO the Common
wealth.
The prompt and accurate gathering
ana tabuaitions OF vital statistics is for
many reasons a work of the highest
Importance. ZIP 10 recent years ii was
an activity that tho state government
never seriously undertook. Ii is now
receiving. and has for several years
been receiving ;lc attention its inn
portancc juStifeS the Virginia Bureau
of Vital Statistics being undcr the I'm
mediate supervision "t pr. w. y.
fleckcr As chief rce!stra: OF The
State.
Mention has already been made OF
tho recently enacted law requiring tho
use of prophylactic IN the eyes or
al newborn babes, the administers
ton of which law has been placed
under the charge OF this bureau. Fea-
lures OF the laws relating 10 other work
OF the bureau are ~ follows:
All physicians. midwives. undertake
ers and dealers in collins are required
TO register their names. addresses and
occupations with the registrar Of the
district in which thcy have their resi-
uencc Each midwife. upon rcSistra-
ton. is given, without cost, . permit
10 practice her professions signed by
tho state registrar ana coun;crsigncd
by the local registrar Should such
midwife fail to maize the reports re-
CURED by law OF births. or should sno
violate the sanitary rules of the State
Board OF Health. her permit may &c
revoked by the state registrar, ana
any person practicin. this profession
for pay without the permit required -
subject TO a fine for each offcnsc.
Required 70 NEEr 3,
REGISTER Or RIRTUS
Local registrars arc required 10 keep
permanent records Of all births ANA
deaths in their jurisdictions, with the
essential details in connection there
with. However, in order that {, local
record, which may be accessible to the
general public. may not hang over the
unfortunate mother OF an ilicgi,imatv
child, TO be brought up against hcr. or
her child possibly many years there
after, the local copy Of tho birth Ger
tihcate VIII show only blank lines
where the names of thc mother ana
child would usually appear. such In
formation being given only on The orig
lnal birth certificate which must bc
transmitted To the State registrar. who
is the records sole custodian. I-ndc.
the law rs amended, both mother ana
child are further protected. in that the |
State regis trar is authorized TO deny
access TO the record Of the birth of an !
iNcgitiinat" child. unless persons seek
inS such information are armed with
an order signed by the mother or other
person responsible for Ia. child or
have AN order from court dtrcctIu..
ih"I access lie given to such record
Iho law further rrCNidcs that the
State registrar shall furnish upon
the request OF any parent or guardian.
without lee, a statement as TO the date
Oh me nirth OF child. when the said
statement shall b" necessary for ad
mission OF such child TO school or for
the purpose of securing employment.
ana notification cards, which have
been furnished parents or others of Inc
registration OF the births "f l,gi,iinatc
"hDdrcn shall. II unchanged. be nc-
copied as proof Of registration OF
births. Local registrars are required
10 transmit all rl.:nal ccrtincatcs OF
births and death 20 the State registrar
on the tenth of each month for the prc-
''"hS month thereby insuring the
PROMPT gathering OF such statistics