ART. 43] STATE BOAED OF HEALTH. 637

for such assistance to render the same. It shall furthermore be the
duty of said State Board of Health to transmit such data to the Chief
of the Maryland Bureau of Statistics and Information, who shall
record said data and include the same and a summary thereof in his
annual report.

State Registrar of Vital Statistics.

1904, art. 43, sec. 6. 1888, art. 43, sec. 6. 1880, ch. 438, sec. 7. 1898, ch. 312.

1912, ch. 606, sec. 6.

7. The secretary of the State Board of Health shall be the State
Registrar of Vital Statistics for Maryland. He shall under the direc-
tion of the State Board of Health prepare the necessary methods, books
and forms for accurate registration of births and deaths and shall sup-
ply the local registrars, deputy local registrars, health officers, min-
isters, physicians, undertakers, midwives and other persons charged
with any duty under this sub-title, with the proper blanks, forms and
books of record. The State Registrar shall collect, permanently bind,
preserve and make indices to the records of vital statistics collected by
him, and shall tabulate and annually prepare a general abstract and
report of the vital statistics for the preceding year so tabulated and
arranged as to render them of particular utility, and shall have printed
not more than one thousand copies, of which he shall forward five copies
each to the Governor and the State librarian, one to each member of
the General Assembly of Maryland, one to each local health officer, one
to each local registrar, one to each deputy local registrar, one to the
Board of Health of each State and territory of the United States, and
the remainder to such departments, libraries, and persons as may seem
to the State registrar entitled to the same. Such records shall be care-
fully preserved from loss by fire or other damage.*

Marriages and divorces must be reported to the Bureau of Vital Sta-
tistics—article 62, section 16.

Ibid. sec. 7. 1898, ch. 312, sec. 6A. 1912, ch. 696, sec. 7.

8. Health officers of the various counties shall be ex-officio county
registrars of vital statistics. Health officers of all towns and counties
shall be ex-officio local registrars of vital statistics, excepting in the
case of incorporated cities or towns where by charter or ordinance the
method of appointment of a local registrar of vital statistics is specifi-
cally designated. All county registrars, local registrars and deputy
local registrars of vital statistics shall qualify by oath to perform faith-
fully their duties as such and all such county, local and deputy local
registrars shall immediately upon their appointment and qualification
notify the State registrar of vital statistics of such appointment and
qualification in writing, and failure to do so after a period of ten days
after the date of their qualification shall be held to vacate their office.

*The act of 1912. chapter 696, went into effect July 1, 1912, See the title of
the act of 1912, chapter 696.