 What is the Bureau of Vital Statistics and what is its purpose?
New York lay quietly below him. The street that led towards the Bureau of Vital Statistics was a mess of desolate carnage. Buildings were taller, men were healthier, most of the problems of humanity seemed licked, or nearly so. A month later the meat animals, the birds and the household pets began dropping as rapidly as the flies which had dropped earlier. Congress was called into special session, as were all of the national governments around the world. The U.N. met at emergency sessions to cope with the situation. Within a year it was obvious to everyone that man was the only animal left on earth. Within six months, half of the world's population was gone. Before the plague the Bureau of Vital Statistics had been one of man's crowning achievements.
 It holds a computer whose design is thought to be humanity’s greatest achievement. The computer keeps track of all humans, monitoring their health, their lifespan, and where they are on Earth.
 It holds a computer whose design is thought to be humanity’s greatest achievement. The computer keeps track of all humans, monitoring their health, their lifespan, and where they are on Earth.  It holds a computer whose design is thought to be humanity’s greatest achievement. The computer monitors whether certain countries are more susceptible to alien invasion.  It holds a computer whose design is thought to be humanity’s greatest achievement. The computer keeps track of what is happening on nearby planets.  It holds a computer that keeps track of how many people are currently infected by the plague—a technology thought to be humanity’s greatest achievement.