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Maude Abbott’s descriptive classification system for medical specimens

Pages 83 and 84 of Maude Abbott’s museum classification guide; black ink on sepia paper. Each page has the title “Museum Classification – Abbott” followed by a list of medical conditions.

Source: Maude Abbott, The Wyatt Johnston descriptive classification of museum specimens, as applied in the Pathological Museum of McGill University, McGill University Publications, Series VIII (Medecine), no.30, 1925, p.83-84

Maude Abbott introduced this descriptive classification system for medical specimens in the McGill Museum of Pathology in 1902. It is based on the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, in which major categories are identified by the number placed before the decimal point. Sub-categories and sub-classifications—in this case conditions and anomalies—are identified by the number after the decimal point.

This excerpt is from Maude Abbott, The Wyatt Johnston descriptive classification of museum specimens, as applied in the Pathological Museum of McGill University, McGill University Publications, Series VIII (Medecine), no.30, 1925, p.83-84