THE CAUSES OF DEATH 103 



rather rigidly defined and separated into something over 

 180 distinct units. It should be clearly understood that 

 this convention is distinctly and essentially statistical in 

 its nature. In recording the statistics of death the regis- 

 trar is confronted with the absolute necessity of putting 

 every demise into some category or other in respect of 

 its causation. However complex biologically may have 

 been the train of events leading up to a particular end, 

 the statistician must record the terminal ' ' cause of death' 

 as some particular thing. The International Classifica- 

 tion of the Causes of Death is a code which is the result 

 of many years' experience and thought. Great as are 

 its defects in certain particulars, it nevertheless has cer- 

 tain marked advantages, the most conspicuous of which 

 is that by its use the vital statistics of different countries 

 of the world are put upon a uniform basis. 



The several separate causes of death are grouped in 

 the International Classification into fourteen general 

 classes. These are: 



I. General diseases. 



II. Diseases of the nervous system and of the organs of special sense. 



III. Diseases of the circulatory system. 



IV. Diseases of the respiratory system. 

 V. Diseases of the digestive system. 



VI. Non-venereal diseases of the genito-urinary system and annexa. 



VII. The puerperal state. 



VIII. Diseases of the skin and of the cellular tissue. 



IX. Diseases of the bones and organs of locomotion. 



X. Malformation. 



XI. Early infancy. 



XII. Old age. 



XIII. External causes. 



XIV. Ill-defined diseases. 



Perhaps the most outstanding feature which strikes 

 one about the International List is that it is not primarily 



