Abstract
On this final issue in 2013, completing 50 years of publication, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Veterinary Pathology. We wish to congratulate the editorial staff, contributors, and subscribers who have supported this journal, as we celebrate our collective accomplishments over the past 50 years. Let us seize this as a moment not only to commemorate our achievements but also to build upon them as we move along the path toward the next 50 years. In this spirit of remembrance and renewal, we feature guest editorials by Drs. Norm Cheville and Linda Cork on the journals past as well as the most influential veterinarians over the past 50 years.
The Past
The late Dr Leon Saunders initially proposed the creation of the journal to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) Council. Proposal approved, he obtained a grant from the National Institutes of Health to support publication and, in 1964, launched Pathologia Veterinaria, with Drs Saunders and Paul Cohrs of Germany as coeditors (1964–1966). In Volume 1, Issue 1, Drs Saunders and Cohrs defined the purpose and need for the journal to (1) provide “technical quality of production, i.e. engraving and printing”; (2) “carry a large portion of the best and most important work in veterinary pathology”; and (3) “help unite veterinary pathologists” from around the world. 2 Since that inaugural edition, we have seen constant growth and change in the journal, including, in 1970, the change to its current name. Dr David Dodd, editor from 1971 to 1979, reported the travails of the early editors in a 2009 article, including his biggest challenge in 1971: “The journal was in dire straits being a full year behind time. It was difficult to get papers from researchers and it was annoying when members would ask why I published only papers on natural disease. There was no choice—they were the only papers I received.” 1 Even the choice of cover images has evolved with time. The cover from the first issue of Pathologia Veterinaria, published in English and German, adorns the cover of the present issue. This image shows what today is presented in the masthead—not the most enticing facade. Not until the editorship of Dr Norman Cheville (1986–1988) did the cover present images. The use of color images on the cover began with Dr Jim Zachary (1994–1999). Each of the editors and the staff over time worked tirelessly to expand and enhance the content of the journal. This was achieved in part as a natural result of the international roots of the editors, staff, and contributors. Since the very first issue of the journal (as reflected on its cover), the editorial staff and contributors have been a cosmopolitan group and have covered issues of interest across the globe. Favorite covers from past editors are noted in Figure 1, reflecting examples of the packaging of our product.
Shown above are favorite covers chosen by the past 6 editors of Veterinary Pathology, representing their terms in office. Top row, from left to right: Norman Cheville, Donald McGavin, James Zachary. Bottom row, from left to right: Donna Kusewitt, Eva Sartin, Carl Alden.
The Present
Today the journal is published as a collaboration among the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (ECVP), Japanese College of Veterinary Pathologists (JCVP), and ACVP and represents a pivotal vehicle for meeting the informational and educational needs of veterinary pathologists around the world. Veterinary Pathology also serves to project the broad impact of veterinary pathologists into the scientific community at large. A few recent achievements illustrate the continued evolution of the journal. As of 2010, Veterinary Pathology is published electronically as well as in hard copy format, and all issues back to Issue 1, Volume 1 are accessible electronically via the SAGE website. Today, the journal has over 8000 subscribers from around the world, with excellent institutional penetration. In recognition of the importance of using resources wisely, electronic-only subscriptions are now available. Manuscripts are listed in PubMed within 6 weeks of acceptance, well ahead of their first appearance in print. Specimen images are only published in color unless the substrate is black and white, as with electron micrographs. The journal is currently the top-ranked veterinary pathology journal and is ranked in the top 12% of all veterinary science publications, as well as in the top half of all pathology journals.
The content of the journal reflects the impressive diversity in professional endeavor among veterinary pathologists, both the diversity in diagnostic investigations across species and in fields of research on animal and human disease. This research is influential in both animal and human health, as well as in environmental and pharmaceutical safety.
The Future
As has been noted previously in these pages, the biological sciences are in the throes of exponential growth in the volume of publications and in the number of tools for enabling deeper understanding and knowledge of disease processes. Our profession faces an increasing need for both specialization and the integration of new and more complex technologies. For example, the recent and ongoing dramatic progress in defining the intricate interactions at the genomic, molecular, biochemical and ultimately the whole organ level means that the veterinary pathologist of the future must be able to leverage and integrate diverse technologies in probing more deeply into the disease process. The journal must reflect this technological diversity in its content. At the same time, scientific publications, as with all traditionally print media, are at a transformational point in their evolution. To tackle these twin challenges and continue the transformation and renewal of the journal, Drs Tom Rosol and John Shadduck led an international group of veterinary pathologists from the ACVP, ECVP, and JCVP to explore and define the journal’s path into the future. Progress on this task will not only continue the growth of the journal in its traditional spirit of innovation, but also continue to increase its international influence. An increasing investment in communication technology for Veterinary Pathology will contribute significantly to improvement in global health. We look forward to ongoing collaborations among editors, staff, contributors, and readers as we chart the journal’s course through this year and the many to follow.