Thursday, October 28, 2010

Treasure Chest Thursday - Betty Carringer's Birth Record

It's Thursday, time to dig into the digital Treasure Chest of family artifacts and documents and display them.

Here is my mother's Birth Certificate of Registration from the San Diego County Recorder's Office:


This Certificate of Registration reads:

"This is to Certify, That  -- BETTY VIRGINIA CARRINGER --
was born on July 30th, 191 9, in the City of San Diego, Calif.
"That this birth was promptly reported by the attending accoucheur, as
required by law.
"If in the future a certified copy from the records of the Department of
Public Health is desired, refer to Index No.  798  , year  1919.
 "The record of this birth may be used to prove citizenship
or furnish proof of age for entering or leaving school, securing
working permit or marriage license, holding public office,
securing passports, adjusting insurance, inheriting money or
property, and securing other financial benefits.

"E.P. Charles Martin REGISTRAR
A.J. Mende DEPUTY REGISTRAR"

The raised "Official Seal" of the Department of Public Health, City of San Diego is affixed in the lower left-hand corner of the certificate.

I was surprised when I saw this because it has no information about the parents of Betty Carringer, their residence or their birthplaces like some of my other California birth records have. 

What does "accoucheur" mean?  A medical dictionary says "a physician specializing in obstetrics," and another source says that literally it means "one who is present at the bedside."  Another medical dictionary says "French for a male obstetrician, a physician skilled in the art and science of managing pregnancy, labor and the puerperium (the time after delivery)."

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