24 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. LIV 



•tary tract and associated organs, and not of the brain or 

 central nervous system. 



The part of item 150 of the International Classification 

 bearing the title ' ' Other congenital malformations ' ' needs 

 some discussion in regard to its inclusion here. In other 

 rubrics of the present classification we have taken ac- 

 count of hydrocephalus and congenital malformation of 

 the heart, both of which come under the general heading 

 ''X. Malformations" of the International Classification. 

 The only other rubric under that heading in the Inter- 

 national Classification is the one here under discussion 

 " Other congenital malformations." It is, of course, im- 

 possible to say in detail what these other congenital mal- 

 formations are. It seems fair, however, to assume from 

 general knowledge that after hydrocephalus and con- 

 genital malformations of the heart are deleted, the great 

 majority of the remaining congenital malformations will 

 relate directly to the alimentary tract or some of its asso- 

 ciated organs. Quantitative proof that this is the case 

 is not forthcoming for obvious reasons. The placing of 

 this item here is simply on the basis of the best informa- 

 tion it is possible to get from those most familiar with 

 congenital malformations in infants. There is undoubt- 

 edly some error inherent in placing this title here, but 

 the net effect of such error must be insignificant for the 

 reason that the death rate under this rubric is very small 

 in total, as will be seen from the table, and furthermore, 

 as has already been stated, it is certain on general grounds 

 that the vast bulk of deaths included here must be due to 

 malformations of the alimentary tract or its associated 

 organs. 



Items No. 31 and 35 (Abdominal tuberculosis, and dis- 

 seminated tuberculosis) are placed here, because, while 

 these titles are somewhat indefinite, it is quite certain 

 that the major portion of the deaths recorded by health 

 officers under these terms are due to tubercular affec- 

 tions of the alimentary tract. 



Items 57, 59, 26, 27, and 49 (chronic lead poisoning, 



