The Editorship of Diabetes

In an editorial entitled "DIABETES Looks Ahead" in the first issue of the Journal, the writer discussed the objectives of the publication. These were defined as fulfillment of the aims of the American Diabetes Association in respect to the dissemination of knowledge of diabetes, the promotion and maintenance of high standards of treatment, and the stimulation of investigation. It was planned that the contents of DIABETES would include material appealing to the widely-varying interests of the Association members and other subscribers including internists and specialists in various other fields of medicine, general practitioners and scientists. That these aims have been achieved with a substantial degree of success has been confirmed by the results of the "Reader Interest Survey" presented in the November-December issue. The favorable comments received from the majority of readers have been appreciated by the Editors and Editorial Board. At the same time, it is realized that consideration must be given to the possibilities of improvement, to which attention has been directed. Readers can be assured that efforts to bring about continuing progress will be made by the new Editor and his Associate. The major factor in the success of any scientific publication is the quality of the papers which it can present to its readers. Much of the material published in the Journal has been derived from the program of the Annual Meeting of the Association, and to some extent also, from the Postgraduate Course which has been presented each year since 1953. These programs are planned and organized by committees which thus render indirectly an important service to the Journal supplementing the Editorial Board in the procurement and selection of papers. Unsolicited manuscripts are submitted to DIABETES in increasing numbers, but more papers written especially for the Journal are desired. Contributions are welcomed from any source in which reliable observations can be made and sound ideas can be developed, whether in a university, a large medical center, or a small town, in the United States and Canada or elsewhere in the world. Each paper has been, and will be evaluated on its own merits. The Editors have available the advice of Board members possessing diversified interests and experience. No paper is arbitrarily rejected on the basis of a single adverse opinion, so that personal bias or disinterest can be eliminated as a factor in selection. Laboratory investigators and clinicians working in the field of diabetes can find that, in this Journal, their reports will come to the attention of the greatest number of readers whose dominant interest is concerned with this disorder and related endocrine and metabolic problems. FRANK N. ALLAN, M.D., Vice-Chairman Editorial Board, DIABETES