Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1922-05-05
BIRTH REGISTER HELD I'M
PORTANT TO EVERY
CHILD.

Stressed During BABY Week."
One of the most important matters
to emphasize during Baby Week."
which the entire country is celebrat-
ing this week, May l to 6, at the sug-
gestion of the American Medical As
ISOLATION, is birth registration, accord
ing to Miss Agnes Morris, head of the
Child Hygiene Department of the
Louisiana State Board of Health, and
state president of the League of
Women Voters.
at means much to the baby, though
he does not know it, to hav. his
birth promptly reported and the date
and his name and parentage accur-
ately reported" said Miss Morris
Tuesday. "In the first place, it gives
the local health authorities a chance
to make sure that he has the proper
medical and nursing care from the
beginning. This saves many infant
lives, for the majority Of all deaths
of babies occur within the first
month, and many of these are pre-
ventable by the simplest skilled at
tention to important details-proper
precautions to prevent infection, care
in feeding, suitable clothing to keep
him warm enough, and other things
which seem minor matters, but are
vital to the tiny life.
at may also save many cases of
lifelong blindness" continued Miss
Morris. 1--WE now know that most, Of
the hopeless so-called blind from
BIRTH cases were not really born
blind, but owe the tragedy of life
time of darkness to an infection just
after birth. We also know that
science can prevent that infection, by
the prompt application of few drops
of nitrate of silver to the eyes of the
newborn baby. This chemical is sup
piled free to any physician or mid
wife in the state by the Louisiana
State Board of Health. There is,
therefore, no excuse for a Louisiana
child to suffer from permanent blind
ness due to ophalmia neonatorum,
which is the scientific name of this
preventable disease.
"There are many other reasons for
reporting the baby's birth to the
health authorities. One of these is the
importance in later life, when the
child goes to school, or to work, or
applies for q marriage license, of
establishing his age and parentage.
The recent war brought out this in
the strongest possible way. There
were cases right here in New Orleans,
as throughout the country, where the
birth record established a mans citi-
zenship, saving him from imprison-
ment in a foreign land, or from being
drafted into foreign army.
"Again and again birth records
have figured in lawsuits, and there
have been many cases where a birth
record has settled question about
the ancestry of a person and his
right to inherit property or to claim
more important rights still.
Every parent should make sure
that his child is registered properly
and promptly. Every physician and
every midwife should scrupulously
obey the law in reporting all babies
born. Every Board Of Health should
make its vital statistics department
as efficient and accurate as it is pos
sible for any human institution to be.
"Here in New Orleans, prompt
registration Of the baby's birth facili-
tates the work of the Child w fare
Association, which endeavors 70 make
sure that children born without a
physicians care get the attention
necessary, and which now has tAs ac-
tive cooperation Of the City Board of
Health in this important task"
Miss Bessie Guthrie is relieving
I u n