Milford chronicle., 1925-11-13
DELAWARE HAS MODEL Law in
RESPECT TO VITAL STATISTICS
Dr. Arthur T. Davis OF The State Board Of Health Tells Natl
Onal Convention At St. Louis Of Giant Strides Made Here
In Health Legislation.

How Delaware, which for so Ions
time stood dormant regarding
health legislation and health details
of Importance, but which now is
stepping out with a stride that is
mot only a marked one, but is, be-
cause of this sudden burst of energy
placing the Commonwealth on a par
with the most progressive states in
he union, was referred to by DR..
arthur T. Davis, executive secretary
5f the Delaware State Board OF
Health, in a paper entitled aids in
Occurring Better Registration" at the
fty-fourth annual meeting of the
National Public Health Officials,
leld in St. Louis the past week.
p DR.. Davis paper led the section
devoted to Vital Statistics, and he
took part in the discussion of the
relative values of various features
of the topic.
In his paper, DR.. Davis, after re-
\ counting the origin of the item of
vital statistics, and its absolute nee
essity in tracing general ills and ar
ranging for preventative measures,
said in reference to Delaware:
In Delaware, we not alone have
what is practically the model law,
but our statute has, in addition, GER
tain requirements which, 1 believe,
are also included in the laws of the
state of Massachusetts. In this con-
nectiOn, I refer to the notification
direct to the Central Bureau of each
birth, death and marriage within
twenty-fOur hours after the occur
renee of such an event by a post |
card, which is furnished by the |
State Board of Health, to be follow
ed within ten days by a certificate
of the local registrar of the county
or municipality in which the event
occurs.
1T may be questioned by many as
to whether such a law is not bur-
densome upon the physician, mid
WiVe, minister or to whoever is re-
sponsible for the return of such re-
ports. We find no complaint on this
score as the cards are fully printed
and require only minimum amount
Of time to fill in, while the value to
he State of these report cards can {
not be underestimate The State $
IF Delaware conforms with other
,ldICO W nO OpCl dIC unuCI IuG UlOuCl
aw. 1 believe approximately forty !
our of the states operate now under /
his law or some modification of it, c
md have returned to them monthly
certificate of their local registrar.
In our division of vital statistics f,
ach postcard is checked against O
he return of the local registrar, and il
Invariably we find that a number of a
ertificates have not been returned n
Dr. which there is on file in the Cen is
'al Office a birth card notification. e7
Il am quite certain that at least hi
We per cent. of the births which tr
ave not been reported are checked pt
p by this means. The second check ia
pom the registration of births, al
hich has proved to be of great re
llue, is the very close supervision
midwives within the State. The m
gistratiOn and supervision of the re
idwives is a public health prob ce
m which is deserving of and is re- of
living at this time, due to the aid co
the Sheppard-Towner act, great ca
tentiOn in all the states. Among trf
rtain people, the employment of tel
dwives at the time of child birth Gle
far more common than the en- to