The Journal of Nutrition—Today and Tomorrow

This Symposium is a summing up of notable events and recollections in the life and times of The Journal of Nutrition. It is a pleasure and an honor to share this occasion with the distinguished speakers who have told us about the human and institutional story of the first four decades of The Journal. As our speakers have traced its history, much of it familiar but with new detail and insight, I have felt that we were experiencing something of the thrust and vigor of the development of the field of nutrition as reflected in the establishment of The Journal and its evolution. As you know, Harold Williams who is chairing the Symposium has completed a comprehensive history of the AIN, and it will be published together with our proceedings in an issue of The Journal to commemorate its fiftieth anniversary. Together they will add to the legacy which The Journal of Nutrition represents. My part of the Symposium is to contribute some recent history and to share with you some thoughts about the future. My tenure as Editor began in 1969 when I succeeded Dr. Richard H. Barnes. He has recounted the events of that time, and I recall with pleasure the thoughtful and considerate ways he helped in the transition. Dr. Barnes had developed a system for handling manuscripts and tracking the editorial process, much of which we were able to adopt and to build upon. A feature of the system is that each reviewer of a manuscript receives copies of the other reviews of the paper as well as the corrcspondence between the Editor and author, all the while maintaining the anonymity of the reviewers. The system keeps the reviewers informed, and develops interesting perspectives when the viewpoints of reviewers differ. In the nine years that The Journal has been at Davis, I have come to recognize the importance of the academic environment in which the editorial functions are carried out. There is a mutual benefit in placing the home of The Journal of Nutrition on a “nutrition” campus, that is, on a campus in which nutrition is an important field and where there is a significant community of nutrition scientists. I am sure The Journal benefited from its homes at University of Rochester, Yale University and Cornell University, all major centers for nutrition. The nutrition community at Davis numbers about 50 faculty located in several different academic departments, colleges and schools, and comprises a broad scope of scientific interests. Many of my colleagues have participated in the editorial process both formally and informally, and by doing so have contributed to a broad editorial perspective and rigorous standards. At the same time, I think they have gained useful experiences and insights in a kind of academic symbiosis. I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge those persons who have worked closely with me in the Davis years of The Journal of Nutrition. My colleague, Dr. F. Howard Kratzer, has served as Associate Editor since 1969. We were joined in 1976 by Dr. R. Lee Baldwin as Associate Editor, marking the first time that The Journal has had two Associate Editors simultaneously. Dr. Neige Todhunter, the first Biographical Editor of The Journal, served with Dr. Barnes from 1963 to 1969, and continued her work with me until 1974. She was succeeded by Dr. Richard M. Forbes. Mrs. D’Ann Finley has served as Editorial ASsociate throughout my years as Editor, and has provided the strong staff support essential to the editorial functions. My wife,