Seventy Years of the Journal "Medical Archives".

This year journal "Medical Archives" celebrates 70th anniversary of its continuing publication. Medical Archives is oldest biomedical journal in Bosnia and Herzegovina and one of the oldest medical journals in Europe, established in the year 1947, as official scientific and professional journal of Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until present Medical Archives has published over 5000 articles. Today Medical Archives is internationally recognized medical peer-reviewed indexed journal, visible in more than 30 international on-line databases.

This is the third Editorial which I write to mark the tenth anniversary of publishing the oldest medical journal in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) -“Medical Archives”. The first one I wrote during time of war (1992-1995), second, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the creation and publishing, in 2006 (1). This third is composed of parts of the manuscript that were published in a special monograph issued to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the creation and publishing of Medical Archives. I allow myself the freedom to take on behalf of the Editorial board (and the last three) from falling into oblivion some facts related to the establishment of the “Medical Archives” and characteristic of periods during its continuous publishing for the past seventy years (2-8).

“Medical Archives” was founded in 1947 as official journal of Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first Editorial board was consisted of Vladimir Cavka, Blagoje Kovacevic, Bogdan Zimonjic and Ibro Brkic.

During that post-wartime 1947 were founded significant scientific and educational medical institutions: Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo, Academy of Sciences and the art of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Association of Physicians of B&H, who have become nest of science and profession in medicine and health care in B&H and alma mater of all other medical and professional institutions later in B&H. Exactly, the Medical Archives journal was a key milestone that helped in education of all academic and professional staff that became the foundation of Bosnian and Herzegovinian medicine as a science and health care as a profession. In the first issue, academician Vladimir Cavka signs first Editorial with this line: “Our leaders, not sparing the enormous material resources, trying with all their strength that or Medical Faculty in Sarajevo as quickly as possible put on a solid foundation, expecting rightly, of all who participate in the construction of the Faculty the maximum effort. With the formation of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo and the activation of the Association of Physicians for Bosnia and Herzegovina there was a need of issuing a professional medical journal, in which, next to scientific papers and articles can be included also clinics and therapy of all branches of medicine, and which will, in the first place, were of interest to practicing doctors. Also the journal was publishing articles from the organization of the medical service, social medicine, as well as articles from the medical literature.”

Accademician Vladimir Cavka (1900 -1984), Editor from 1947. till 1956.

Acc. Blagoje Kovacevic (1900 -1959), Editor from 1957. till 1958.

Five years later (May 18, 1952), at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Physicians in B&H, Editorial Board Secretary Dimitrije T. Dimitrijevic MD, after the Assembly accepted the proposal to elect in the Editorial Board: professor Nedo Zec, MD, professor Spiro Janovic, MD, Teodor Ilic, MD, Isak Samokovlija, MD, S. Teofanovic, MD, Mihajlo Protic, MD, professor Blagoje Kovacevic, MD, professor Milivoje Sarvan, MD, professor Stanislav Szabo, MD, professor Bogdan Zimonjic, MD, professor Feodor Lukac, MD and professor Milos Aranicki, MD, as well as for the Editor-in-Chief professor Vladimir Cavka MD, submit to the Assembly a report of the Editorial Board, which states: “The articles received for publishing was mostly from the clinics and the institutes of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo, as well as other medical experts of our capital. But also were accepted and published articles from other health centers, primarily in Belgrade and Zagreb, or from other places of our Republic. This increased participation of doctors from others sites which was particularly noticeable in the last year, which clearly showed how much the journal gained the reputation beyond the borders of our Republic… Editorial Board took care to gather the highest possible number of young doctors, to whose cooperation and commitment we owe the most in this considerable progress compared to the early years … In an effort to improve the journal as much as possible and taking into account the larger influx of articles, Editorial Board has decided that during the year increase the number of volumes. As a result, it is made a shift from three-month to two-month publishing, although this required more effort and more material costs. So in the course of 1951, instead of four was published six volumes of our journal, two of which were double issues… Editorial Board will try to persist on that path. Having constantly in front them our young state of medicine as a science and the great need of medical practice, they will try by uniting and representing the demands of both, to keep despite all the difficulties this our journal in the future at the required high level. At the same time, it will try to provide to physicians, particularly those in our Republic, mainly the articles relating to the many questions of modern medicine.”

During peak of aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the universal grief and misery, in poverty and the dark, came to me the impossible idea - renew and held continuity in publication of the journal “Medical Archives” (considering that was already a pause in publishing of the journal for more than two years), because it was threatened by the elimination from the Index Medicus and Medline - the world’s database of biomedical journals. At the end of 1993, intensively working on the actualization of that ideas, with the support of certain medical authority, and with the help of professors Irfan Zulic and Mirko Grujic (two former Editors) we prepare a war issue of the “Medical Archives”- one of the Sarajevo’s war miracles - so-called “Xerox edition”, made on Japanese “MITE” copy machine and 5kw power supply unit in the Presidency of B&H. Since then, number by number, first as a double issue (in 1992 and 1993), then as a quarterly issue (1994-2000), and a bi-monthly journal (since 2001) “Medical Archives” grew by content, with more quality design, more international and over the past decade well known in Europe and the World. Medical Archives became on the library shelves of major university centers in Europe, and as on-line edition is represented in more than 30 databases. Since 2013 full articles published in Medical Archives are available in the database PubMed Central, Scopemed and Google Scholar, most referenced biomedical journals today.

Prof. dr. Bogdan Zimonjic, (1899 -1966), Editor from 1959 till 1960 and from 1964 till 1966

Prof. dr. Milos Aranicki (1900 - 1985), Editor from 1961 till 1963

In 1996, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of publishing “Medical archives” I made a detailed analysis of past events related to historical facts and figures, which are responsible for maintaining the continuity of the journal, and this text was published in the journal Medical Archives, 1996; 50 (1-2) as it was stating this: “It is needless to point out how much and what kind of role this journal played over the past 50 years. Medical Archives became affirmed medical journal in our country, and by the exchange with the most famous libraries and journals became known in medical circles in majority of the countries of the world. True, from this distance, if we made valid scientific and professional analysis of the value of published articles in Medical Archives, acceptable at the international level, or by the citation - indices “Impact Factor” and “Influence Factor”, which are relevant for the transfer of published scientific information and their availability to the scientific world, we are not sure that these parameters were sufficiently illustrative. But do not let that worry us, because according to the Garfield list, just before the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the 1,000 most cited researchers in the world, unfortunately, there is none from the former Yugoslavia. Therefore, we need not be wrong if the citation of articles from the Medical Archives is relatively low, because in the same position are many esteemed journals from other areas of the former Yugoslavia.

At this point another fact must be noted - that a significant decline in the quality of published articles in the Medical Archives occurred after 1991. The reasons for this are well known to us all, and on them we do not need to waste words and time. One is indisputable, browsing through all the volumes of the Medical Archives, from the first from 1947 to the last in 1995, I got the impression that the articles by, our outstanding teachers and researchers, particularly in the first and the second decade of Medical Archives publishing were of significantly higher quality. This was probably the result of a more serious approach and dealing with science and scientific research in those years. One thing is certain, medical archives has enabled us all to realize our ideas through research, to convert results of the research into practice, to convert the results of the practice into scientific facts, to join scientific facts in the base of knowledge and, finally, to convert our knowledge into specific policies and practices. The point of all this is that the whole our research, as our strongest weapon, put in practical use, either in our own environment and internationally. A key element of this philosophy is the rapid application of existing knowledge. Regardless that existing information are underused and that the creation of new scientific and technical information is very dynamic, Medical Archives by its impact, to a great extent, in many communities improve the quality of health care and was a source of current scientific and professional information in daily activities. This is especially proved valuable during the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, when it was interrupted the flow of current scientific and technical information from the world, and the publication of the Medical Archives had the most significant educational role in its long history.

On this occasion, we emphasize that extraordinary role in the flow of scientific and technical information have documentation and information that open paths to the exchange of ideas, results and experiences. That is why systematic professional data collection in medical science and practice, and that is and should be one of the most important tasks of the Medical Archives, should provide that any user of specified data and information is fully and duly informed. The data and information thus become crucial for many specific solutions in healthcare practice, and their storage internally in the minds of researchers and practitioners, or in their local documents and records is of no use.

Accademician Jakob Gaon (1914 -1995), Editor from 1967 till 1971

Prof. dr. Midhat Prcic (1925 -1985), Editor from 1972 til 1976

Accademician Seid Hukovic (1925 - 2001), Editor from 1977 till 1980

Prim. dr. Milorad Tomasevic (1926 - 1995), Editor from 1981 till 1983

Seen from this angle, the essence and size of our motives and desires to directly acquired medical scientific and technical information present through the Medical Archives to the general scientific and professional public, has its full meaning and justification. This is supported by the fact that modern technology - modern computer and communication systems for transmission or transfer of scientific and technical information to the most remote corners of the world from the central hosts through computer databases of the national library in Bethesda (USA), Philadelphia, Cologne, London, Moscow, Tokyo, etc., totally changed, modernized this sense, without which it is now impossible to work and live.”

From respect for a number of our scholars and researchers who over the past 70 years was engaged in publishing of the Medical Archives, in this Editorial, we will pride one summary, cursory cross section of their names and activities in journals in the past period (1).

Medical archive was published for the first time in 1947 edited by first Editor-in-Chief, academician Vladmir Cavka, MD. Secretary of the Editorial Board professor was Ibro Brkic. A narrower Editorial board was consisted of the following persons: professor Blagoje Kovacevic, MD and professor Bogdan Zimonjic, MD. This Editorial board was active until 1952, so that professor Vladimir Cavka was Editor-in-Chief throughout this period, while as the Board members was very well-established our scientists: Dimitrije Dimitrijevic (Secretary), Blagoje Kovacevic, Bogdan Zimonjic, Grujica Zarkovic, Slavko Djurisic, Feodor Lukac, Milos Aranicki, Teodor Ilic and Mihajlo Protic.

The tenth anniversary volume of Medical Archives was edited by the Editorial board, consisting of: Vladimir Cavka, Editor-in-Chief, Dimitrije Dimitrijevic, Secretary, and members of the Editorial board: Blagoje Kovacevic, Bogdan Zimonjic, Grujica Zarkovic and Slavko Djurisic. In the period from 1957 to 1959, the post of Editor- in-Chief was held by professor Blagoje Kovacevic, a secretary professor Jakob Gaon, MD. In 1960 the function of Editor-in-Chief was given to professor Bogdan Zimonjic, and between 1961 and 1963 professor Milos Aranicki and Secretary of the Editorial Board was professor Jakob Gaon, MD. Then, from 1964 to 1965, and the anniversary 1966 the function Editor-in-Chief was carried out by professor Bogdan Zimonjic and Editorial board secretary by professor Jakob Gaon. Other members of this 20th anniversary volume of Medical Archives was Ernest Grin, Seid Hukovic, Zivojin Jeftic, Milenko Perinovic, A. Raskovic and Nedo Zec. From the 1967 to 1971 Editor-in-Chief was professor Jakob Gaon and the Secretary of the Editorial board professor Milenko Perinovic. Since 1972, was introduced the position of deputy Editor-in-Chief, and from that year until 1976 jubilee function of the Chief Editor performs professor Midhat Prcic, MD and as his deputy professor Rikica Najdanovic, MD. Also introduced was the dual functions of the secretary and in this period secretaries were Ass. professor Albert Musafija, MD and Ass. professor Arif Smajkic, MD.

Jubilee 1976 (volume 30) Editorial Board was consisted of: professor Midhat Prcic, Editor-in-Chief, professor Rikica Najdanovic, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board Secretary, Ass. professor Momir Macanovi, and Ass. professor Arif Smajkic. Members of the Editorial Board were: Mirjana Dzumhur, Izet Hadzic, Faruk Konjhodzic, Albert Musafija, Dzemal Rezakovic, Irfan Zulic, Izet Osmanagic, Bozidar Pokrajcic and Berislav Topic. Then, in 1977 Editor- in-Chief became professor Seid Hukovic, his Deputy Chief, Milorad Tomasevic, MD, and the Secretary of the Editorial Board professor Dubravka Potkonjak and professor Slobodan Loga. From 1981 to 1983, Editor-in-Chief was Milorad Tomasevic, MD, his deputy professor Faruk Konjhodzic and Secretary of the Editorial Board, Branka Kovacevic. From 1984 to 1988, function of Editor-in-Chief Editor performs professor Irfan Zulic and of Secretary, Branka Kovacevic (Deputy function is canceled).

Jubilee 40th volume of the Medical Archives was edited the Editorial Board with the following members: professor Irfan Zulic - Editor-in-Chief, Branka Kovacevic, Secretary of the Editorial Board, and members: Mirjana Bokonjic, Stjepko Jadric, Mustafa Kapidzic, Dusko Kecmanovic, Mihael Sabljak, Arif Smajkic, Vera Tadic, Berislav Topic and Jovo Vranic. From 1989 to 1991 pre-war position of Editor-in-Chief, was held by professor Mirko Grujic, and the Secretary of the Editorial Board, Antonija Kecman.

Prof. dr. Irfan Zulic (1932 - 2005), Editor from from 1984 till1988, and from 1992 till 1993

Prof. dr. Mirko Grujic (1931 -), Editor from 1989 till 1991

It should be noted that, in addition to numerous other difficulties that we have experienced during wartime 1991, 1992, and 1993 years have been suspended the continuous publishing of Medical Archives. True, the problems of financial and technical nature have always been hampered and slowed down its regular publishing, but the circumstances of war specially underlined these difficulties, and the Medical Archives practically ceased to be published until 1994. Thanks to the exceptional dedication of certain individuals, we were able to ensure the continuity of our journal indexing. But there have been also other problems that are interfering with regular publishing of Medical Archives. In addition to those of financial and technical nature, a significant role played also the problems of quality articles authorization, the quality of peer review, while hindered communication and serious war policies were crucial to the quality of writing articles and their publication in the Medical Archives has declined significantly. War Editorial Board from 1991 to 1994 year consisted of professor Irfan Zulic as Editor, and professors Izet Masic and Halid Sulejmanagic, as his deputies and Board members: Faruk Dalagija, Zehra Dizdarevic, Osman Duric, Mediha Filipovic, Mirko Grujic, Sabira Hadzovic, Salahudin Hodzic, Halid Hujic, Faruk Konjhodzic, Nedzad Mulabegovic, Branko Nikolin, Amir Pleho, Umid Salaka, Vera Sunjic, Hamid Tahmiscija and Savo Vlaski. From 1994 Editor-in-Chief of “Medical Archives” was ass. prof. Izet Masic.

The 50th anniversary volume was edited by the Editorial Board: Izet Masic (Editor-in-Chief), Zoran Ridjanovic (Co-Editor), Zijad Beslagic, Maida Ganibegovic, Mirko Grujic, Zoran Hadziahmetovic, Ljiljana Milanovic, Bakir Nakas, Branko Nikolin, Besim Prnjavorac, Enver Raljevic, Sead Redzepagic and Umid Salaka.

Jubilee 60th volume of the journal “ Medical Archives” in 2006 was edited by the Editorial Board composed of: ass. professor Sebija Izetbegovic (Sarajevo), ass. professor Zdenka Krivokuca (Banja Luka), professor Izet Masic (Editor-in-Chief) (Sarajevo), associate professor Sahib Muminagic (Zenica), associate professor Ljerka Ostojic (Mostar), assistant Haris Pandza (Sarajevo), assistant Enra Suljic-Mehmedika (Sarajevo), ass. professor Selim Toromanovic (Bihac), ass. professor Narcisa Vavra-Hadziahmetovic (Sarajevo), professor Muharem Zildzic (Tuzla). In this period, “Medical Archives” becomes recognizable in the international scientific community, more authors published their articles in it because its recentness become significantly higher compared to other Bosnian journals and with highest H and G index included. It is important to note that to all contributed the fact that the “Medical Archives” with the abstracts or with full papers was made available to the wider scientific and academic community after being indexed in more than 20 on-line prestigious index databases worldwide. Number of articles published in the Medical Archives till today, included in this database, passed the figure of more than 5.000.

Professor Izet Masic, Editor, since 1994 to present

I started to follow the journal “Medical Archives” from the first number (1). Although in 1946 I was still a high school student, my father, who was a doctor, received on regular basis Medical archives so I also with great care and curiosity followed it, because I had already decided that I would study medicine.

I started education at the Medical faculty in 1949 and graduated in 1955. In January 1960 I started residency in internal medicine at the First Internal Diseases Clinic in Sarajevo with professor Bogdan Zimonjic, who was then the head of the Clinic. Already in 1963 I published my first work in the Medical Archives. It was a case presentation of cystic fibrosis tested at the Internal Diseases Clinic. Mucoviscidosis was then a rare and little-known disease, so I’m on the advice of professor Zimonjic published that case report. When I retired in 1998 after 42 years of service, I had a little over two hundred published articles, and more than half of these articles are published actually in the Medical Archives. So it is not by chance that I always considered and perceived Medical Archives like my journal and I feel this also today. By the publication of all these articles, I gained gradually the conditions for elections later in teaching titles at the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo. But that’s not all. Medical Archives from the beginning had a regular column “Book review”, which have published all new and important books from domestic and foreign medical literature. My immediate manager was then professor Milenko Perinovic, was published reviews of the largest number of these books. Publishing companies from Germany “Georg Thieme Verlag”, “Schattauer Verlag” and “Springer” sent him all newly published medical books in German, and he was writing reviews of these books and also gave them and other doctors, or his associates to do the same. That’s how I started writing reviews of these books. After the death of professor Perinovic in 1983, I continued the work. In addition to German books, I turned more domestic issues, so I wrote reviews of most newly published medical books in the former Yugoslavia, mainly in the field of internal medicine, diabetology and endocrinology. I have not kept records on the number of these reviews, and even today I do not know their total number. That job I performed with great pleasure, interest and love. I’m happy if I by my work contributed to a better and fuller content of Medical Archives.

In 1989 I became Editor-in-Chief of the Medical Archives. The journal was previously published regularly. As Editor in Chief I sent query to Index Medicus and was told that the journal is still indexed, that is registered in the Index Medicus, which is a certificate of recognition of its quality. In the publishing of the journal, we had great support from the director of the printing company “Oslobodjenje”, Mr. Petar Skert, graphics engineer, who was always very helpful and printed us all the volumes at minimum possible price, since the Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina never had enough funds. Then to the engineer Petar Skert, and for his merits and contribution to publishing of Medical Archives I presented a special letter of thanks, and the plaque of the Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A long-time secretary of the Editorial Board of the journal, for technical affairs, was Ms. Branka Kovacevic with whom I also had great cooperation. She, unfortunately, suddenly passed away during my term in 1989.

Editorial Board in 1994, professors: Faruk Dalagija, Mehmed Gribajcevic, Zehra Dizdarevic, Izet Masic (Editor), Mirko Grujic, Nadezda Zjuzin, Muhamed Hadzimejlic, Sadzida Telalbasic

At that time, the Association of Physicians of BiH, whose offices were in the former Dositejeva Street, as an administrative clerk worked Mrs. Mina Demirovic. There was the acceptance and distribution of the journal. And Mrs. Mina Demirovic, unfortunately, died in 1995 at the height of the war.

Already at the beginning of the last war in 1992 was destroyed and heavily damaged the building of “Oslobodjenje”, where we previously printed Medical Archives. Through the efforts of the staff was printed only a daily newspaper “Oslobodjenje” in very limited number of copies. In such situation there was no possibility for further printing of the Medical Archives in this institution. The number that was already in the press was never printed. Those of us in Sarajevo, however wanted that journal still be printed, not to be definitely shut down. As Editor-in-Chief, after a preliminary discussion with the professor Izet Masic, I suggested to the Presidency of Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina to elect for the Editor-in-Chief, instead of me, professor Izet Masic. He in these conditions only could continue with the publishing of the journal, because as a doctor was also versed in informatics, and he had the printing and publishing house “Avicenna”. This company printed for us during the war, also many other materials, from scientific meetings and round tables, where was mainly presented principles of the medical doctrine, which we needed as well as practical experience of war from all areas of medicine. The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Association of Physicians then elected Professor Masic and entrusted him the further publishing of the journal, which is the extraordinary success achieved. During all the war years (1992-1995) the journal was published, although with fewer volumes published during each year and with a very reduced number of copies. However, a regular publication of the journal was secured. Thus, Medical Archives, despite everything, was still regularly published, and some copies of the journal were sent to Index Medicus, which confirmed his publishing on regular basis despite war activities. Professor Masic from then until now has remained the Editor-in-Chief of the Medical Archives (12 years), which speaks about his undoubted merits to sustain the journal, as well as his daily improvement and development. Year after year, the journal was getting richer and more meaningful, and also with nicer appearance and more technically polished. From leaded syllable in “Oslobodjenje”, it is now transferred to highly sophisticated printing techniques.

Prof. dr. Izet Masic (1952.-), Editor from 1994 till present

Celebration at Faculty of medicine, on November 16th, 1994

In living memory remained to me a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Regional Hospital in Sarajevo that we organized and celebrated in 1994. In war-torn and ravaged Sarajevo met the Organizing Committee for this celebration which I was a member, and the professor Izet Masic was chairman of this Organizing Committee.

And, finally, on November 16th 1994 under the auspices of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Health of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Assembly of City of Sarajevo, in the great amphitheater of the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo was organized gala ceremony on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo and 50th anniversary of the Medical Faculty, University of Sarajevo. The academy was attended by distinguished guests: The President of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, the mayor of Sarajevo, Tarik Kupusovic, Minister for Health of Bosnia and Herzegovina ass. professor Bozo Ljubic, ambassadors of several countries: The Republic of Austria, Franz Bogen, the Republic of Turkey, Sukru Tufan, the Croatia, Zdravko Sancevic, religious representatives, Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Reis-naibu Hafiz Ismet Effendi Spahic, then Ms. Stephani on behalf of the World Health Organization, professor Said Hukovic in front of the Academy of Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with many other distinguished guests. After the solemn celebration of the Academy continued Symposium “War medicine and medicine in the war 1993/1994”. The symposium lasted for two days. At this celebration, I had a presentation called “One hundred years of internal medicine in Sarajevo”.

Materials from this Academy and Symposium were published later in a special issue of the Medical Archives.

I remember that at the beginning of the Academy to the President Izetbegovic was presented a Plaque by the Association of Physicians of BiH. He in his speech thanked and said that he did not deserve a plaque and a medallion in fact he should give one to us, the doctors, and not we to him. Also, I remember when the Turkish Ambassador Sukru Tufan congratulated Ambassador of Austria, Franz Bogen indicating that the Hospital in Sarajevo then founded and raised by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy and brought to Sarajevo the best doctors in Vienna. Ambassador Bogen thanked and said that he, too, should like to congratulate Ambassador Tufan, because the first hospital in Sarajevo was raised and established by Turkish state in 1866. It was done by the Bosnian governor Serif Topal Osman Pasha, and was called Vakuf hospital. Thus, in difficult conditions of war, in a solemn and dignified manner marked by these big dates of the Clinical Center and Medical Faculty, University of Sarajevo.

Five years ago, at First Congress of Social medicine - Public health of Bosnia and Herzegovina, chaired by professor Izet Masic, at the Grand Hotel in Sarajevo, professor Masic organized celebration of the 55th anniversary of the publication of the Medical Archives and published the anniversary issue. I was present at that meeting. Among other things, professor Masic said that from 10 former Editors-in-Chief of the Medical Archives remained alive only three: professor Hukovic, professor Zulic and professor Grujic. Unfortunately, since then until now, they have died and gone from our company academician professor Seid Hukovic and Professor Irfan Zulic, so today I am, in fact, the only living Editor-in -Chief, of the former 10, whose names appear on the cover of Medical Archives. Professor Masic was chosen after me and he is still the current Editor-in-Chief.

Finally, I would like to wish the Medical Archives continued success in the next 60 years, in favor of those that are yet to come and will publish their work. Medical Archives, whose anniversary we celebrate, has been and remains a symbol of honor, pride, respect and dignity of all doctors of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so I want it to remain like that in the coming times.

Professor Mirko Grujic, Editor from 1989 to 1991

In the Editorial Board of the journal “Medical Archives,” I actively participated in the period from 1972 to 1978 and from 1984 to 1988 (1). For the first time, it was at the time when the Editor-in-Chief was professor Midhat Prcic, when I worked as the Secretary of the Editorial Board, and the second time, at the time when Editor-in-Chief was professor Irfan Zulic, and then I was a member of the Editorial Board. At the time I was Secretary of the Editorial Board, in the Board were still, in addition to professors Prcic, Editor- in-Chief, his deputy, professor Rikica Najdanovic, then Second Secretary of the Editorial Board was professor Albert Musafija, and members of the Editorial Board: professor Mirko Cus, professor Izet Hadzic, professor Aleksandar Kostic, professor Faruk Konjhodzic, professor Aleksandar Milojkovic, Bozidar Pokrajcic, MD, professor Dzemal Rezakovic, professor Irfan Zulic and professor Grujica Zarkovic. In addition to these members, we had also broader Editorial Board, which included: Branislav Banic, Muhammad Becarevic, Mirjana Bijedic, Sreten Boskovic, Marko Ciglar, G. Ceh, Izet Custovic, Aleksandar Doder, Aleksandar Fajgelj, Nijaz Fazlagic, Jakob Gaon, Josip Gerc, Muhamed Hadzimejlic, Seid Hukovic, Leopold Kaufer, Slavko Laketic, Aleksandar Markovic, Borislava Mastilovic, Ivan Milakovic, Slobodan Obradov, Fuad Pinjo, M. Popovic, Zulejka Popovic, Vladimir Psorn, Hisam Serdarevic, Smiljko Slankamenac, Dzevad Softic, Pavao Stern, Tibor Salamon, Muhamed Teftedarija, Rifat Tvrtkovic, M. Eminagic (Bihac), Sead Pozderac (Cazin), Tomislav Veljanovic (Doboj), Aleksandar Goldberger (Foca), M. Humo (Mostar), Z. Azapagic (Tuzla), M. Zecevic (Zenica). Thus imposing and diverse structure of the Editorial Boars of the journal “Medical Archives “ points us to the fact how important reputation even then had the journal “Medical Archives “ as a scientific and professional journal of the Association of Physicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which included teachers and doctor’s practitioners from all areas of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Just then, the journal “Medical Archives” has changed its design and from B5 format crossed to A4 format, in which is still published, thanks to the new set of the Editorial Board, which has taken over from the previous which until 1971 led prominent academic, Jakob Gaon. One of the reasons was that those years spent significant reform of medical studies in the former Yugoslavia, and that one faculty group of teachers, including former deans of medical schools from Ljubljana to Skopje, at the time of our Editorial Board worked on the project of reform of medical studies. A significant number of meetings was held just in Sarajevo, on our faculty, because a certain number of teachers, mentioned in the then Editorial Board was actively involved in the project of reform of medical faculties in the former Yugoslavia.

In this issue, from February 1972, the Editorial Board met in the premises of the Central Public Health Institute in Sarajevo, at Marsala Tita 7 street, Editor, professor Midhat Prcic signed introductory text, from which I extract some thoughts and messages „…wanting that „Medical Archives” bring closer to the reader and be of interest to all doctors of our Republic, as well as doctors abroad, the new Editorial Board, elected at the end of 1971, the striving and will endeavor to create new sections growing interest in the journal. According to this new concept of “Medical Archives” will in the future have a greater number of sections and chapters. To mention some: original articles, case presentation, medical news, discussions from practical doctors, from medical journals, new in medical circles (graduated doctors and dentists, various improvements at the Medical Faculty and various health institutions, passed specialist examinations, as well as various other everyday problems from medical circles), information on the various congresses, symposia and professional travel, book reviews and so on. In addition to medical doctors, the journal will participate and dental doctors - dentists who are represented in the Editorial Board”.

I must emphasize, that the journal “Medical Archives”, even before that, had a strong influence on my professional development. It was my second school in form of the written word, and my professional and scientific guide back in my student days and later, as well as school organization collecting and publishing of technical and scientific communications, and I actively participated in the creation of its contents. The first time I met with the journal and carefully freely consulted was in the Library Central Public Health Institute in Sarajevo, later the Institute for Health Care Protection of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the school year 1956/1957. In fact, then we in a lecture from to me difficult subject Virology, academician Aleksandar Terzin recommended that in addition to read scripts and two review papers on virology by author Hamdija Karamehmedovic, MD, published in the journal “Medical Archives”. Me and my colleagues remained a striking encounter with the journal “Medical Archives” and mentioned that the author was a virologist and founder of the Library at the Central Public Health Institute. This amiable retired man then recounted his work on viral diseases, and how he came to know and by the way gave us two reprints the bibliography he used in writing these papers.

A little later, in 1958, when I took the exam in the subject Internal Medicine with professor Bogdan Zimonjic (First Internal Clinic of Clinical Hospital in Sarajevo), which is, as a rule, lasted more than three months, I have met more detailed individual sections of the journal “Medical Archives”, such as case reports and reviews of books, whose authors were mostly then assistant professor Milenko Perinovic and assistant Mirko Grujic. Professor Bogdan Zimonjic, who was a fond of the journal “Medical Archives” and one of its founders, together with academicians Vladimir Cavka, Blagoje Kovacević and Ibro Brkic, and that on two occasions was its Editor, often quoted something from the past numbers of “Medical archives”. And I’ve become a fan of the written word, and I came up with the idea, which with the help of a few then distinguished teacher, at Medical Faculty, led by academician Hajrudin Hadziselimovic, in April 1961, together with colleagues from the studies: Muhamed Jelkic Esad Drino, Nikola Radovic, Husein Susic, Mirko Knezevic, Irfan Aganovic and Mubera Saric, who was secretary of the Editorial Board, prepared the first issue of the newly established journal “Glas medicinara - Voice of the Medics”, the professional journal of the Alliance of students of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo. This journal will become the official professional journal of the students of the Faculty, which will prepare future teachers of the Medical Faculty in Sarajevo and other medical centers, and will be an excellent medium to future researchers to “coin” and shape their ability to engage in scientific research and teaching profession. Some of these colleagues in the first Editorial board of this journal will become later our distinguished teachers at other medical faculties. I know in the year 1975, the current Editor of the journal “Medical Archives” professor Izet Masic, after a long pause, “revitalize” the student’s newspaper, and which at one time successfully came out, just at the time when I was Secretary of the Editorial Board of the journal “Medical Archives”, or at the time of the mentioned reform of medical studies. Also, I know that recently the journal again, after a long pause, is started again, so students and teachers publish their work, which is very important. “Glas medicinara” at the time when I was Editor in Chief (1961 to 1966), a journal of the expert team of students and professors who conducted field actions practicing medical students in Hresa, Ahatovici near Sarajevo and Podvelezje and Dreznica near Mostar, which will also play an important role in the education of medical students. Significant assistance in the work of the mentioned Professional club and writing papers with the experience we have gained in the field of student conferences at which we presented these works, gave us then respected epidemiologists and professors Aranicki and Gaon, who were also the Editors of the journal “Medical Archives” and distinguished professors Miletic and Kosoric and internists and surgeons headed by professor Feodor Lukac. I know our visual design for the journal was prepared by Branko Krstic, later professor of Histology at the Medical University of Lausanne, then technical Editor was Hasan Jusufovic and Secretary of the Editorial Board was Branko Pikula, later professor of Pathological anatomy at medical faculties in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Vienna. This says something which at that time meant the student journal “Glas medicinara” in education and preparation of teachers for the extra education of medical students, as well as a medium, which is next to the journal “Medical Archives”, in which they published their work by teachers and faculty physician’s practitioners, and students allowed to publish their work. At that time, I began to publish contributions in the journal “Medical Archives”, as some original works in the field of biological standards, the health care organization, addiction diseases, health promotion, and some as professional communications or journal reviews. Under the circumstances, in the same time period I was also the president of the Yugoslav Association for Social Medicine and Health Care Organization. So, I acquired substantial experience in the regulation of the two previous mentioned journal, launched also professional voice of this association, which we called “Materia Socio-Medica Iugoslavica “, and which was published continuously for several years. Very important to note, but it is interesting to point out, that this journal, after many years of delay, just started again professor Izet Masic and successfully led it for the last six years, the same time as the journal “Medical Archives”.

Otherwise, “Medical Archives”, I am convinced, is the only true “ARCHIVE” of our biggest registered achievement, total in medicine, especially in Public health, because it published a series of original papers on the mass eradication of the most serious diseases then and now: about malaria, trachoma, syphilis, mycoses and others. Finally, I want to emphasize that in all these journals, and especially in our most eminent journal with the longest “path”, in addition to satisfaction in the creative work wear special bitterness concerning the lack of understanding of those who are in that time and later were in a position to give a specific type of support, especially financial, to any of the three above-mentioned journals, especially “Medical Archives” was published as it deserves. Always “Medical Archives” plagued, and I know that this is the situation today, with the money necessary for an adequate quality, design, number of copies, etc., which was and is a result of misunderstanding with the relevant authorities and institutions where medical education component is part of their work and activities. I know that the Association of Physicians of BiH, not even the journal “Medical Archives” never in its long history, has become the owner of the minimum space to work, and that even once held the Meeting of the Editorial Board in the building at the corner of the present Strosmajer Street and Zelenih Beretki traded off for good private service of one of the then officials of the Physicians Association. Also, I know that the journal “Medical Archives” has never had a continuous and assured adequate financial support, the system solved by its founder and owner the Association of Physicians of BiH, but has always lived from sponsoring by certain pharmaceutical companies, among which is “Bosnalijek” Ltd. Sarajevo played a major role in the past, and part of the subscription by members of Association of Physicians of BiH, but that is not important could help the solution of these problems. In the mentioned sixty years of publishing temptation, without their own editing room and archives, moving from the private rooms at the then secretary of the Editorial Board, Mrs. Branka Kovacevic at Mustafa Golubovic street, the Institute for Health Care Protection, ATD in Dositejeva street from daffodils and almost three-year delay journal “Medical Archive” ended up in the hands of an experienced rescuer written word and has come to life again, I would say now in full maturity and safer than ever before through 60 years of its existence.

It is therefore rightly raises the question: Is the sixtieth volume of the journal “Medical Archives a real measure of our value and our scientific awareness of their contribution to knowledge about knowledge and knowledge of contemporary medical practice in Bosnia and Herzegovina? We need to get serious thoughts over this.

Professor Arif Smajkić, Editorial Board Secretary (1972-1978)

Last call for passengers through the virtual world of Medical Archives! I stood on the platform for catapulting, while a call echoed in deserted hall, corridors and stairs of the Faculty of Medicine, in one of those difficult war years… Where are all these wonderful people, where are all the children cheerful hearts that dream to voyage nebulae toward the medical universe? And whether it is forgotten that Cairo makers called Medical Archive? Is it already in the title of our journal was stored germ of its longevity and tradition? Medical Arhchives we now look like a mythical creature with the title of a religious dignitary who we astutely observed under heavy brows, stroking his long white beard. Maybe then gave a secret hint that the devastation of all printing out a sound word AVICENA - on the one-tag by Izet fastened to the wall of his study room - the signal word, which still faithfully follows the Medical Archives!

I try to include a virtual reality which is stronger than reality itself. Here I am, already floating path you draw symbols of the world of medicine. The memory is unpredictable adventure spirit rooted in a syncretic perception, in which the terms and tactile feelings intertwined. The names create mental representations and images shifted somewhat unclear edges and space agree in time. Archives of this wonderful word-trigger. A bunch of yellow paper with faded headlines of one’s hopes, which is getting all eating fungi invasion, invoked by the sonority and the scent of Archimedes who jumps out of the bathroom naked and all published–Eureka! I found! Architecture hallway howling in quite unexpected directions worn charm of infantile discoveries. Something old, archaic, yet modern day awaits me at every bend until you can climb, avoiding broken glass and pieces of plaster. The archetype, the original image of something well-known and close, which cannot be addressed, but in something can plunge deep, with confidence that we are in a safe place, emerging from the deep shadows of the past. Several flashes from the hills, with thunder rumbling in the depths, in fact the photons that adjective aura Archive. Negation of the negation! Giving birth, flourish and culture! Medical Archive … meeting those (indestructible?) who care for the impossible: to save a little bit of human dignity through the written word!

Editorial Board in 2014: Muharem Zildzic, Ljubo Simic, Vjekoslav Gerc, Snjezana Milicevic, Halima Resic, Kenan Arnautovic, Enver Zerem, Izet Masic (Editor), Marko Buksa, Izet Hozo, Mirko Grujic

Another flash, and now I’m sailing a different route. My father had a habit of each new book smell, deep breathing a mysterious smell of freshly printed material. Then make a sudden movement turned book somewhere in the middle, combining unexpected covers, such as heavy ballet figures “string”, all in order to check the strength and skill of the master connectivity. Too bad for a book if ligaments snapped and leaves are crumbling one after the other and finally and irreversibly scattered. Journals immediately read, it seems to me from cover to cover, and then lied high on a shelf with the explanation that can be used. My mother thought that unnecessarily collecting dust. My father often said that the form is inseparable from its essence. The layout and cover, fragrant or less fragrant contents, multicolored ridges of books, stacked horizontally dark green law journals, and later some of my medical (it was the Medical Archives), had a fire in our fireplace, the flame that warmed our hearts. Visual identity, tactile sensation of roughness or smoothness, typography, color cover, brightness and greasy paper weight at your fingertips, elite professional activities that eluded the omnipresent control words at the time of the old regime, and a scent that followed me everywhere in my nostrils - all at once, enters into a lavish array of memories, nostalgia, and nonferrous appealed peaceful and happy moments.

Father is gone and neither my good mother. The room where we used to sit, talk and read now is completely different. Neither Medical Archives is no longer the same. Once was with stiff covers, smaller format and a bit thicker, perhaps - at first glance - a little more serious, with a small mustache that are cherished - his, for today’s taste, thick-founders, photographed with rigid collars, round glasses and bow - tie. On the edges of the photos are traces of the seal. We owe them a lot, and as our professors and researchers as well, and above all humanists.

We measure time that we may perceive it and mastered. A simple calculation of addition about the regularity of each new number. Regularity testifies to stability; all safe and expected: an uncertain future is described through a reliable history. A past Medical Archives began the institutionalization of the profession. For the profession needs your mirror, great and faithful, which will be recognized, in which the look-his oneness and his fraternity, his palpable second nature through which breathes and speaks. It is all important: the colors and fragrances and small symbols of care and diligence and quality manuscripts. When I hold our journal in your hand as if holding a stem of fragrant flowers, of all the profession to which I belong and which belongs to me. And it took a lot of effort and care predecessor!

Vivid I followed Medical Archives on this path of growth, development, maturity and disappearance, resuscitation and rehabilitation. The years went by in a flash, the volumes are winning shelf. I was Deputy Editor-in-Chief, a man who has restored our soul journal, a doctor who had cured their scarce resources when all but given up on the Archive. I remember those difficult war years and the lean post-war period when the white-haired young man - Medical Archives shut down its fifty candles on a celebratory cake. Before him, on the table, lay a certificate of re-indexation, in fact, his new birth certificate! The main resuscitator journal deserved at least one human magic word - thank you! - All experts in the field, for all that he came to do. And he did a lot for the history of our health and medicine! And for the future!

Around that time, I suggested Izet to examine, to evaluate the form and content of the journal (1). Our fathers are constantly kept vigil over our attempts. Once the door to the room at the Clinical Center, where we print a multitude of medical sites and often talked about the deceased Chief. Muhamed Masic, around and silently just opened. It was a sure sign of providence to continue to believe in the impossible. High goals for high achievement! For institutions (a Medical Archives institution for themselves!), That they do not question, you do not peek into his own throat, not a serious institution or promising companies! The analysis pointed to places that require therapy and modifications. Some of the new winds blew the old site. I turn them not without a certain melancholy. In the last two words lies in the name of his new creator.

Zoran Ridjanovic, MD, Editor-in-Chief Deputy (1993-1994)

CONCLUSION

In the past 70 years of continuous publication of the journal “Medical Archives” a number of institutions and individuals, in different ways, have helped the journal came into the hands of its readers and customers. However, most of the credit goes to publishing and printing companies: Publishing Company “Oko”, Sarajevo, and “Avicenna”, Sarajevo, and several pharmaceutical companies, among which is dominated: “Bosnalijek” Sarajevo, “Sanofi-Aventis” Sarajevo, “Novartis” Sarajevo, “Farmavita”, Sarajevo, etc, which to “Medical Archives” were a constant support over the past years. To all of them we must express our sincerest thanks.