Hi Dory, Hope this helps, I sent to the Dept of Health and Municipal Archives, and received the same response you received. BUT, stumbled onto a treasure chest at my local Family History Center. In their Library Catalog, under New York , was a WPA project, apparently they made birth index cards to cross reference birth certificates. The years covered run from 1866 to 1897 for both cards and certificates. I ordered the film for PO-TO [for Sullivan] in the year 1886 and found the card for my stepfather, it gave the certificate number then ordered the film that covered that certificate number and found the right certificate and was able to send my sister a copy of her fathers birth certificate. As Charles Sullivan pointed out not everyone registered children's births, this Sullivan family were blue collar workers and Catholic. So give it a try. I pulled the whole listing, so if you want me to check for a film # drop me a line. Good luck in your searching. Alice in AZ