Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1930-12-26
Matters or Life And Death.

Every newcomer in a certain State is
required by law to have his or her arrival
duly registered, by designated section of
the State government. within four days
after being welcomed into his new abode
In the same way, departure into the great
unknown must be registered also. but only
twenty-four hours are expected to elapse
before this event is recorded. The certain
State is the Maryland Free State and the
law under which these requirements are
met-known as the Registration Law makes
the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the State
Department of Health the custodian OF
such records. and holds that bureau re-
sponsible for their collection.
Similar laws are in force in every State
in the United States, and their combined
records as reported by the United States
Bureau of the Census gives a complete
tally sheet Of the gains and losses that
occur throughout the country.
What is known as the Registration Area
for deaths was established by the Bureau
of the Census in 1880, and only those States
whose records met certain rigid require
ments of promptness and completeness of
registration were admitted to it. At the
start. the area included only Massachusetts
and New Jersey. with certain cities in
other States, but year by year the number
has increased until now forty-six OF the
forty-eight States. the District OF Columbia
and nine cities in egistration States
the total comprising 95.7 per cent of the
population Of the United States-are in
cluded in the Registration Area for deaths
Maryland has been included in this area
since 1905.
10 1915, thirty-fve years after the for.
nation of the Registration Area for deaths,
the Registration Area f.r births was estab-
lished as means of obtaining more com
plete and prompter reporting of births.
Maryland has been included in this area
since 1915.
Outlining the registration system in
Maryland, DR.. John Colinson, Chief of the
State Bureau of Vital Statistics, said The
Maryland Registration Law provides for
the division of the twcnty-three counties
into Registration Districts. and for the ap-
pointment of a local registrar for each dis
trict. The local registrar is responsible
for the registration of all births and deaths
Occurring in that district and for forward.
ing these records promptly to the Bureau
of Vital Statistics of the State Department
of Health The law requires the attendant
at birth 10 report the birth TO the local
or deputy registrar within four days Of its
occurrence. A death must be reported To
the registrar within twenty-four hours.
THE registration of births and deaths is
frequently referred TO as the bookkeeping
Of humanity. In that sense. it is like the
bookkeeping that is done by every carefully
conducted business concern. 1t records and
checks up the income and outeu Of the
most precious resources of the State, its hu.
man capitalists citizens 1t is Consequent,
one of the most important functions of the
State Department of Health. and its effec
tiveness depends upon the accuracy. com.
pleteness and promptness with which the
information is forwarded TO and recorded BY
those to whom that duty is entrusted"