LIFE HISTORY ALBUM 



DIRECTIONS FOR USE. 



It is intended that one of these books should be provided for each 

 child at its birth, but it may be begun at any other period of 

 life. The parents should cause the various observations to be methodi- 

 cally registered during childhood. If the child is away from home as 

 a boarder at school, the entries may be made at each time of returning 

 home. On leaving school the book may be handed over to its owner, 

 who will probably by that time sufficiently recognise its value and 

 interest to continue the observations. Some such book should always 

 be provided for children and young adults ; but it is never- too late to 

 begin one, for even those who do so late in life have much to record 

 that is of value to themselves and to their children. 



Genealogical Record. — The first form requires jio explanation, its 

 object is self-evident. A carefully prepared family medical history is of 

 the greatest value, for most diseases are hereditary, some very strongly 

 so ; and such a record of hereditary predisposition makes it possible to 

 foretell and to guard against some diseases and to treat others with 

 success. 



Care and time should be bestowed in the first instance in preparing 

 this record of the family medical history. Minute inquiries should be 

 made of all surviving relatives, each of whose replies should be checked, 

 and, if necessary, corrected by replies to the same -question by other 

 persons ; the doctors of each deceased relative may be applied to, or the 

 cause of death of any one who died in England since June, 1837, may 

 be learnt by personal inquiry at the Registrar-General's Department at 

 Somerset House, Strand, W.C., on . payment of one shilling for each 

 "particular search," extending over a period not exceeding five years. 

 There are similar opportunities at the General Register offices in Scotland, 

 at Edinburgh, for registrations since the beginning of 1855, and in Ireland, 

 at Dublin, for those since the beginning of 1864. 



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