Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-20

Census and with committees appointed
by many nations devoted to special
branches of medicine, upon the ques-
ton of the proper classification ana
nomenclature of diseases with special
reference to the improvements to be
made in the International Classical
ton at the recent revision. Meetings
were heli by these committees at Phil
adelDhia, New York, and Washington,
and important suggestions were form
ulated which were duly transmitted to
the Secretary General, Doctor BertiI-
lon, and were laid before the Commits
sion in the special book prepared for
its use A very considerable propor-
ton of these was adopted by the Inter-
national Commission. Perhaps tho
most important of ali the measures es-
pecially recommended by the United
States was the improvement in the
principle of the statistical classification
Of deaths from violence. Doctor Ber-
tillon, Doctor Livi of Italy. and Dr.
Greasy l.. Wilbur We're appointed a
special committee of the commission to
adjust this portion of the classification,
which they did
DR.. Wilbur stated today that he be-
ieyed the revised list will be much
moro acceptable to American registrars
and that it will give the informa ton
in regard to the Industrial causes of
mortality in more satisfactory way
than any classification previously pre-
pared. IF course all of the recommen-
dations Of the american delegates could
net be adopted There Vert % coun-
tries represented in the International
Commission and conservatism is a
characteristic of European officials and
especially of European statistcians 1t
Is .p1rhctly right, he declared, that this
Sfi9ths, bei SO because Il creates endless
confusion when many changes are
made i'll an established system Of COM
pilation. Furthermore it is hardly to
be expected that a country like the
United States, whose registration Of
officials bad never before Joined in an
international congress and whose sta
tistcs relate to only about one-half of
the population of the United States
should be able to prevail against the
established views Of the representatives
of countries where complete and COM
published vital statistics have been
prehensive vital statistics have been
-\GNtGtHeleSS llIc 1uiitSC consideration
was given to the American propositions
and the utmost courtesy and harmony
prevailed. He feels that the American
delegates owe profound thanks to the
Secretary General, Doctor Bertillon.
ard to the French Government, and
that American registrars should loyalty
abide by the recommendations adopted
and use the International Classical
ton without any notifications Or chan
ges, except sucn as are entirely permis-
sible under its constitution. for the
next ten years. ...'. -s.......
DIR. Wilbur stated that the United
States starts at the beginning of a new
census decade with the revised CLASH
fcation Of causes of death, in which
Anne rcan registration officials and Am
erican physicians have had their say;
a revised standard certificate of DEATH
which viii he adopted by the American
Public Health Association ut Richmond
this month. and put into effect for al!
Of the registration area beginning jan
uary l. 1910. and with new rules and in
structions recently formulated by the
Director of tn" Census and promulgat-
ed to all reporting Offices for the pur-
pose of obtaining more complete and
correct Transcripts of the deaths now
registered