The International Skeletal Society: How it Began

Abstract

Three radiologists with a special interest in skeletal radiology (one from Great Britain and two from the United States) laid the groundwork for the inception and development of The International Skeletal Society and its official Journal — Skeletal Radiology. The concept of such a Society was introduced first in an idle moment of conversation in 1970 between the British radiologist and one of the two American radiologists — a conversation in which the British radiologist queried “would it not be a great idea to have a society of international scope dedicated to the concept of studies in depth of disorders of the skeleton?” The American radiologist attended a meeting of the Fleischner Society (dedicted to the study of diseases of the chest) sometime later in Montreal. He came away imbued with the idea that a similar Society in bone could be established. The American radiologist, upon his return to New York after the Fleischner meeting in Montreal, decided that in order for such a venture to be succesful it required the skill, talents and sagacity of the radiologist in Great Britain who had introduced the concept and another radiologist in the United States whose reputation and organization skills were such that no skeletal society could really be founded without his being an intimate part of the beginnings. And so, Ronald Murray from Great Britain, Jack Edeiken from Philadelphia and Harold Jacobson from New York, working with Mrs. Rosalyn Levine as the secretary of the group, agreed by phone to move ahead.