Ancestors of the "Archives".

In Europe and America specialist physicians, national societies, and journals devoted exclusively to the medical care of children were well established by the end of the last century. In Britain a few physicians would give an opinion on a sick child while retaining their interest in the medicine of the adult. In 1896 an attempt was made to start an AngloAmerican journal of children's diseases to be published simultaneously here and in America. The English edition of Pediatrics was not a financial success and was abandoned after a short time. The American publication grew rapidly despite the prestigious Archives of Pediatrics that had been published by the American Pediatric Society since 1884. The name of Archives of Pediatrics was changed to Clinical Pediatrics in 1926 and the last volume was published in 1930. Perhaps the change to a more modern and snappy title was a factor in the dissolution. In England 'The Society for the Study of Disease in Children' was started in 1900. Clinical material for the meetings was largely supplied by physicians who worked mainly with children, but a large number of general practitioners attended the meetings, which were held in Brighton and Folkestone as well as Birmingham and London. Dr George Carpenter, who was Physician to the Evelina Hospital, London, edited an annual report for the Society, which was published by J and A Churchill. It was a substantial volume containing not only the results of papers on recent research but also clinical and pathological observations and the criticisms of the papers that had been heard at the meetings. Carpenter had probably been chosen as Editor because he had been appointed the English Editor of Pediatrics and had remained a member of the Editorial Board after the London edition ceased publication. These reports appeared annually until 1908 when the Society was incorporated into the Royal Society of Medicine. Carpenter was elected Physician to the North Eastern Hospital for Sick Children, which later became The Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children in Hackney Road, London (1903). At the same time he held the post of Medical Officer of Health for Beckenham. This was probably the reason for his special interest in the social aspects of children. George Carpenter, MD