diff --git a/include/boost/bind/placeholders.hpp b/include/boost/bind/placeholders.hpp
index da6397f..e8c9694 100644
--- a/include/boost/bind/placeholders.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/bind/placeholders.hpp
@@ -20,22 +20,18 @@
 
 #include <boost/bind/arg.hpp>
 
-// The placeholders have been made static for use in precompiled headers.
-// They are in an unnamed namespace because underscored identifiers are
-// illegal at file scope.
-
 namespace
 {
 
-static boost::arg<1> _1;
-static boost::arg<2> _2;
-static boost::arg<3> _3;
-static boost::arg<4> _4;
-static boost::arg<5> _5;
-static boost::arg<6> _6;
-static boost::arg<7> _7;
-static boost::arg<8> _8;
-static boost::arg<9> _9;
+boost::arg<1> _1;
+boost::arg<2> _2;
+boost::arg<3> _3;
+boost::arg<4> _4;
+boost::arg<5> _5;
+boost::arg<6> _6;
+boost::arg<7> _7;
+boost::arg<8> _8;
+boost::arg<9> _9;
 
 } // unnamed namespace