Canadian surgery and the Canadian Journal of Surgery--decades of change.

© 2007 Association médicale canadienne D Robert M. Janes, first Chairman of the Editorial Board, in his opening comments in the new Canadian Journal of Surgery (CJS) (vol. 1, no. 1 [Fig. 1], opined that “the establishment of a Canadian journal should not be regarded as further evidence of nationalism but as the assumption in yet another field of the obligations that attend our ever increasing size and responsibility.” He was aware that contributions to the journal would come largely from the surgical departments of Canadian universities and hoped the journal might serve to stimulate such but also hoped for stimulation among those in surgery, not in universities, to provoke opportunities for long-term follow-up, observation and contributions. Complimentary good wishes from the British Journal of Surgery and the American College of Surgeons, praising the establishment of the new journal were published in the opening pages. Dr. I.S. Ravdin, Chairman of the American College of Surgeons Board of Regents, wrote “the stature of Canadian surgery over many, many years fully justifies such a publication.” The history and evolution of Canadian surgery reflects the advantageous position that the Canadian discipline had, situated so well between the British tradition of keen clinical observation and the betterfunded scientific approaches of American surgery. The Canadian approach, so positioned, allowed the evaluation, acceptance or rejection of new science, clinical recommendations and advances to be incorporated rapidly or delayed as progress and time dictated. Just as the CJS dream took some time to become a reality, by virtue of technical and financial problems (suggested Dr. Janes) so did Canadian surgery, often short of funds and technology, tend to adopt new advances at a slower rate. Notably, the first paper published in the new CJS featured the historic but prolific Francis J. Shepherd — anatomist, surgeon, dermatologist, friend of William Osler, professor of anatomy and surgery, dean of medicine at McGill University and president of the Canadian Medical Association. The article underscores the fact that advances and changes in medicine are the end result of the energy, ambition and tireless effort of individuals, whether it be the development of new sciences, new operations or new surgical journals. Canadian surgery is a testimonial to a long succession of individuals such as F.J. Shepherd and visionaries, movers and shakers all encouraging the incredible advances and changes that have occurred over these past 5 decades. A review of some 270 issues of 50 years of CJS publications attests to the enormous range of subjects and