At a time when most of the country was illiterate it often took times of contact with government institutions for there to be any written records about an individual. Hospitals are one such institution that generally kept records of those who attended and, in countries where census records exist, hospital records often pre-date the census records. Equally, for those countries who lack census records, hospital records can provide a valuable substitute.
At a time when most of the country was illiterate it often took times of contact with government institutions for there to be any written records about an individual. Hospitals are one such institution that generally kept records of those who attended and, in countries where census records exist, hospital records often pre-date the census records. Equally, for those countries who lack census records, hospital records can provide a valuable substitute.