Editorial

Abstract

This special celebratory issue of Journal of Anatomy marks two major milestones: 150 years since the inauguration of the Journal as Journal of Anatomy and Physiology and 100 years since the title was changed to Journal of Anatomy. Such longevity, especially in the congested modern world of scientific journal publishing, demonstrates the strong historic legacy of the Journal and the unwavering commitment to the Journal from both the Anatomical Society and the wider anatomical community as authors, referees and readers. We are particularly delighted to be able to feature two major commissioned reviews in this issue of the Journal. The first, from Professor Gillian Morriss-Kay, provides a comprehensive overview of the illustrious history of the Journal. The names of previous editors of, and contributors to, the Journal read like a ‘who's who’ of major anatomists from the last century and a half. It also provides wonderful insights into how scientific writing and reviewing have evolved over the years! The second, from Professor Susan Standring, commissioned after she received the Anatomical Society Prize in 2015, provides a concise overview of the broader history of topographical anatomy going back several thousand years. Taken together, we hope that these review articles from two leading anatomists of our time will serve to illustrate just how far we have come in our understanding of the structure and function of the human body, and the important role that the Journal has played in these efforts. The Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded in 1877, with Sir George Murray Humphry, a founding editor of the Journal, as its first President. When the management of the Journal was taken over by the Society in October 1916, it was renamed Journal of Anatomy. In 2010, the Society was renamed the Anatomical Society. The front cover of this special issue features the Coat of Arms of the Anatomical Society, drawn by Robert Parsons MBE, with text reading ‘ANATOMICAL SOCIETY 1887’ in the form of a sigillum or seal. The Shield depicts neural cells and roundels with a bony chevron. The Crest, on top of the helm, comprises a lion, supporting a Rod of Aesculapius and resting its paw on a skull. The Supporters are an écorché and a classical Diana, while the Motto, ‘ex conformatione usus’, is the Latin for ‘from structure comes function’. The Coat of Arms was granted by the Queen on 9 August 2013 and presented to the Council of the Anatomical Society by the Windsor Herald of Arms on 5 February 2015. As we look forward into the future, we are committed to ensuring that Journal of Anatomy continues to represent a leading forum for the publication of anatomical research and review papers from around the world. There have been substantial changes in how questions of anatomical importance are investigated and the range of approaches and methodologies that are being utilised to address them is constantly evolving. This is reflected in the ever-evolving editorial policy of the Journal, ensuring that we can publish papers incorporating modern approaches such as advanced statistical methods, high-resolution imaging, and/or molecular techniques. We also try to broaden the spectrum of technical approaches that are available to modern researchers by publishing papers that detail the use of new methods that have not previously been applied to anatomical research. We therefore continue to encourage the submission of manuscripts reporting on excellent anatomical studies in order to maintain the high standing of the Journal into the future. We would like to finish the introductory editorial by thanking all those individuals, past and present, who have committed their time, effort and energy to the Journal. Here's to the next 150 years!