The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1919-06-19

a
ted from each high school in Louisiana
and Mississippi. The medal to Benton
High School has been forwarded to Mr..
Thomas. His essay follows:
VITAL STATISTICS.
The expediency and necessity for
the registration Of births. marriages
and deaths has, many years ago, been
recognized in foreign countries and
even for the last siXty-eight years has
been urged in the United States by |
medical organizations and individuals
interested in the promotion Of health.
The fundamental Importance Of ac-
curate vital statistics for the protec-
ticn Of human health and life is uni
vcrsally recognized Admission into
the registration is the seal OF sanitary
progress: it is the index of sanitary
rank: it is the standard set by the
civilized world. and no state or coun-
try can afford to ignore the advanta-
yes to he gained by this recognition.
1t is our greatest statistical need. and
| no real sanitary progress can be made
until there is Il basis laid i'll accurate
| records Of deaths and births, with nee
| essary accompanying information.
| It is necessary and eXpedient that
we should register births because it Is
essential information for governmental
and Identification purposes BY 50
doing the child labor laws would he
protected and made effective thus
eliminating children under legal age
from all hazardous occupations. 1t
would enable the government to settle
matters Of inheritance and estates by
official record and not ~ the testimO-
MES Of interested persons. The govern
nlent would have indisputahle identifi-
cation of the nationality of the Ameri-
can-horn children of foreign-born par
entS, and MOuld he able to use wisely
and intelligently the millions of dol
lars given to the protection Of infants
and the development Of the race. 1t
would enable the Children's Bureau Of
the United States Government to give
prompt medical attention to the In
fected eyes and similar infections Of
! the newborn.
|
| istration is like an accurate accounting
of income without consideration Of eX-
penditures
: The reasons why we should register
! deaths are many. One Is In order thai
there may he on hand complete and &C
curate information as to the. death OF
all human beings. to the end that pre-
, ventable causes of death may be elimi
I mated and human lives heightened. Th'
!. various public health officers wou!t
know when and where preventable dis
7 eases occur aud might thereby operate
4 intelliyently. determining the success
or failure Of all preventiOns Of dis
e eases. States. cities and localitie
would learn their own health condi
tons. and immigrants could thus b
guided In the selection Of safe an
> healthful homes Records would b
: on hand 80 that all matters OF estates
inhcritances and pensions could be sci
q tied by the government. and not by tn
= testimonies Of Interested witnesses.
Practically all the progress made |
= this country during the last decade !
= the extension of adequate registratio
laws and tile promotion OF uniforn1t
G. and compatibility Of the mortality Sti
tistics Is due to the Model Law. and
is sincerely hoped that in the nes
future all the states III the union wi
a adopt it and Ivy the end Of the decad
~ following the former. accurate and d
:. pendable vital statistics may be ha
a anywhere in the United States.
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