Response to “Eponyms in science: A proposal to minimize their use”

I agree wholeheartedly with Drs Schulman and Rissi ¹ that the use of eponyms in science should be minimized, and I’ve been working toward this goal for many years, as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation and editor of Jubb, Kennedy & Palmer’s Pathology of Domestic Animals. In a similar vein, submitters of manuscripts to the Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation and Jubb, Kennedy & Palmer’s Pathology of Domestic Animals co-authors will recognize one of my standard canned comments:

Eponymous terms are used in a descriptive or adjectival sense and are not true possessives and hence do not require an ‘s (Gram stain, Masson trichrome stain, Tyzzer disease, Johne disease, Peyer patches, etc.). Note: Gram stain, but gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria (CDC Style Guide). “The transition of eponyms to the nonpossessive form is consistent with a linguistic perspective and with trends in English usage.” AMA Manual of Style, 11th ed.

Further to trends in English usage, I continue to make many of the changes in Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation articles and in the 7th edition of Jubb, Kennedy & Palmer’s Pathology of Domestic Animals, now going into production, as suggested by Drs Schulman and Rissi, and have replaced many eponyms with terms that are more descriptive: uveodermatologic syndrome replacing Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada–like disease, thymic corpuscles instead of Hassall corpuscles, and more (e.g., paratuberculosis [Johne disease], equine neorickettsiosis [Potomac horse fever], indolent corneal ulcer [Boxer ulcer]). I have not come up with a good comprehensive replacement for “Tyzzer disease” yet, beyond disease caused by Clostridium piliforme.

As well, with the same aim of demystifying and clarifying scientific communication, and using the Nomina Histologica Veterinaria source, ² I have worked with authors to anglicize Latin terminology (perilenticular vascular tunic [tunica vasculosa lentis], ciliary margin [ora ciliaris], vestibular duct [scala vestibuli], tympanic duct [scala tympani], and many more). The Nomina Histologica Veterinaria (histology nomenclature, with English terminology, and a comprehensive list of eponyms) ² states that the use of eponyms should be discontinued, and the companion Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria (anatomy nomenclature, unfortunately still only with Latin terminology) ³ states that “terms derived from proper names (eponyms) should not be used.” As noted in the Schulman/Rissi letter to the editor, ¹ it behooves instructors to carefully consider the use of eponyms when teaching. Similarly, literature sources used as the basis for instruction should add clarity to education and not perpetuate the use of eponyms. The crusade continues.