diff --git a/src/register/basiccell.c b/src/register/basiccell.c
index 89d78f2541..61a651afab 100644
--- a/src/register/basiccell.c
+++ b/src/register/basiccell.c
@@ -1,3 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * FILE:
+ * basiccell.c
+ *
+ * FUNCTION: 
+ * Implements the base class for the cell handler object.
+ * See the header file for additional documentation.
+ *
+ * HISTORY:
+ * Copyright (c) 1988 Linas Vepstas
+ */
+
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -35,9 +62,27 @@ void xaccInitBasicCell (BasicCell *cell)
 
 /* ===================================================== */
 
+void xaccDestroyBasicCell (BasicCell *cell)
+{
+   /* give any gui elements a chance to clean up */
+   if (cell->destroy) {
+      (*(cell->destroy)) (cell);
+   }
+
+   /* free up data strings */
+   if (cell->value) {
+      free (cell->value);
+   }
+
+   /* help prevent access to freed memory */
+   xaccInitBasicCell (cell);
+}
+
+/* ===================================================== */
+
 void xaccSetBasicCellValue (BasicCell *cell, const char *val)
 {
-   void (*cb) (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
+   void (*cb) (BasicCell *, const char *);
 
    cb = cell->set_value;
    if (cb) {
diff --git a/src/register/basiccell.h b/src/register/basiccell.h
index fccf1a30b9..cf4d051ba0 100644
--- a/src/register/basiccell.h
+++ b/src/register/basiccell.h
@@ -107,12 +107,33 @@
  * to work around the fact that the combo-box requires a width
  * in pixels, rather than in characters.  It would be nice if 
  * ComboBox supported the XmNunits resource, but it doesn't.  
+ *
+ * HISTORY:
+ * Copyright (c) 1998 Linas Vepstas
  */
 
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
+
 #ifndef __XACC_BASIC_CELL_H__
 #define __XACC_BASIC_CELL_H__
 
-typedef struct _BasicCell {
+typedef struct _BasicCell BasicCell;
+
+struct _BasicCell {
 
   short width;           /* column width, in chars, not pixels */
   short alignment;       /* column text alignment */
@@ -122,13 +143,13 @@ typedef struct _BasicCell {
   unsigned int changed;  /* 2^32-1 if value modified */
 
   /* "virtual", overloaded set-value method */
-  void         (*set_value)     (struct _BasicCell *,
+  void         (*set_value)     (BasicCell *,
                                  const char * new_value);
 
   /* cell-editing callbacks */
-  const char * (*enter_cell)    (struct _BasicCell *,
+  const char * (*enter_cell)    (BasicCell *,
                                  const char * current);
-  const char * (*modify_verify) (struct _BasicCell *,
+  const char * (*modify_verify) (BasicCell *,
                                  const char *old, 
                                  const char *add, 
                                  const char *new); 
@@ -136,20 +157,21 @@ typedef struct _BasicCell {
                                  const char * current);
 
   /* private, GUI-specific callbacks */
-  void         (* realize) (struct _BasicCell *, 
+  void         (* realize) (BasicCell *, 
                             void *gui_handle,
                             int pixel_width);
-  void         (* move)    (struct _BasicCell *, 
+  void         (* move)    (BasicCell *, 
                             int phys_row, int phys_col);
-  void         (* destroy) (struct _BasicCell *);
+  void         (* destroy) (BasicCell *);
 
   /* general hook for gui-private data */
   void * gui_private;
-} BasicCell;
+};
 
 
 BasicCell * xaccMallocBasicCell (void);
 void         xaccInitBasicCell (BasicCell *);
+void         xaccDestroyBasicCell (BasicCell *);
 
 void         xaccSetBasicCellValue (BasicCell *, const char *);
 
diff --git a/src/register/pricecell.c b/src/register/pricecell.c
index 4aba057ed7..8b961dfff8 100644
--- a/src/register/pricecell.c
+++ b/src/register/pricecell.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #include "basiccell.h"
 #include "pricecell.h"
 
-static void PriceSetValue (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
+static void PriceSetValue (BasicCell *, const char *);
 
 #define DECIMAL_PT  '.'
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ static void PriceSetValue (struct _BasicCell *, const char *);
  * decimal point in them */
 
 static const char * 
-PriceMV (struct _BasicCell *_cell, 
+PriceMV (BasicCell *_cell, 
          const char * oldval, 
          const char *change, 
          const char *newval)
@@ -104,6 +104,15 @@ xaccInitPriceCell (PriceCell *cell)
 
 /* ================================================ */
 
+void
+xaccDestroyPriceCell (PriceCell *cell)
+{
+   cell->amount = 0.0;
+   xaccDestroyBasicCell ( &(cell->cell));
+}
+
+/* ================================================ */
+
 void xaccSetPriceCellValue (PriceCell * cell, double amt)
 {
    char buff[40];
@@ -145,7 +154,7 @@ void xaccSetDebCredCellValue (PriceCell * deb,
 /* ================================================ */
 
 static void 
-PriceSetValue (struct _BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
+PriceSetValue (BasicCell *_cell, const char *str)
 {
    char buff[40];
    PriceCell *cell = (PriceCell *) _cell;
diff --git a/src/register/pricecell.h b/src/register/pricecell.h
index 97c280a8f6..8ff3e6c0da 100644
--- a/src/register/pricecell.h
+++ b/src/register/pricecell.h
@@ -1,3 +1,46 @@
+/*
+ * FILE:
+ * pricecell.h
+ *
+ * FUNCTION:
+ * The PriceCell object Implements a cell handler that
+ * knows about storing and displaying a price or amount.
+ *
+ * By default, the PriceCell is an input/output cell.
+ *
+ * On input, this cell accepts only numeric characters
+ * and numeric punctuation.  The punctuation accepted is *not*
+ * currently internationalized.  Read the source for details.
+ *
+ * One output, it can display numeric values with two or three 
+ * decimal places.  A planned enhancement would be to store 
+ * formating data with an instance of this cell. This is *not*
+ * currently done.
+ *
+ * hack alert -- implement the above formating & internationalization.
+ *
+ * The stored amount is stored as a double-precision floating point
+ * variable. This should be sufficient precision to store trillions of
+ * dollars with penny accuracy.
+ *
+ * HISTORY:
+ * Copyright (c) 1988 Linas Vepstas
+ */
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
 
 #ifndef __XACC_PRICE_CELL_C__
 #define __XACC_PRICE_CELL_C__
@@ -12,6 +55,7 @@ typedef struct _PriceCell {
 /* installs a callback to handle price recording */
 PriceCell *  xaccMallocPriceCell (void);
 void         xaccInitPriceCell (PriceCell *);
+void         xaccDestroyPriceCell (PriceCell *);
 
 /* updates amount, string format is three decimal places */
 void         xaccSetPriceCellValue (PriceCell *, double amount);