Page:The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology-ItsFirstCentury.djvu/225

THE REGISTRY MOVEMENT their pathological classifications, and by the names of their contributors. By 1924, the new system had been applied to 5,000 protocols, 4,000 gross pathological specimens, and 4,500 miscellaneous items. 2

By the end of Major Calender's second tour of duty as Curator of the Museum, in 1929, the original ophthalmic registry had accumulated 2,000 registered cases, while the two tumor registries had about 200 each. The registries, in Major Callender's opinion, were well established and had "reached that stage of development and activity which makes necessary more professional, technical and clerical work that can be given by the Army Medical Museum."

To find adequate support and to insure that there should be continuity of policy in the registry movement, Major Callender took up with Dr. Ludwig Hektoen, Chairman, Division of Medical Sciences of the National Research Council, the matter of recognition of the registries as a joint activity of the Council, the Museum, and the sponsoring professional societies. As a result, and with the approval of the Council, the American Registry of Pathology was formed, in 1930, by a committee headed by Dr. Howard T. Karsner (fig. 67) of Cleveland as chairman and Major Callender as secretary. Other members of the committee included : Dr. James Ewing of New York, Dr. Stanley P. Reimann of Philadelphia, and Doctors Bowman C. Crowell, Harry S. Gradle, and Herman L. Kretschmer of Chicago, all of whom had been active in promoting the existing registries or were interested members of professional societies, such as the associations combating cancer, who were naturally interested in the project.

The object of the American Registry of Pathology, which has grown to include 27 specific specialty registries, as outlined by Major Callender, 3 is to "collect data and specimens from patients, especially those with tumors, with a view to accumulating a sufficient number of instances of each disease to determine its characteristic course, the criteria for diagnosis, and to evaluate methods of treatment * * *. The cases preferred are those living at the time of registration, and that can be followed so that the outcome may be ascertained. The following up of these cases will constitute a considerable and important part of the Registry's activities."