In the study of acute appendicitis for the eighteen year period between Jan. 1, 1916 and Jan. 1, 1934, at the Presbyterian Hospital in New York, it was discovered that a considerable number of the case records were classified under improper subgroups. In order to procure accurate information on the total mortality rate, as well as that of the individual subgroups, it was necessary to examine the history on every case record which had been filed under the following classifications: acute appendicitis, acute appendicitis with acute local peritonitis, acute appendicitis with peritoneal abscess, acute appendicitis with acute diffuse peritonitis and acute appendicitis with progressive fibrinopurulent peritonitis. Therefore, by careful search of these records, it was possible to present the facts which constitute this paper.
Numerous discrepancies were found between the final diagnosis listed on the record cards and the operator's description of the pathologic process or the final note. Such