To help commemorate the American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) 100th anniversary, the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons is reprinting articles centered on the issues and developments that have defined the character and integrity of the organization throughout its history. This month, the Bulletin is reprinting the introductory text to the January 1926 issue, which highlighted the ACS’ first registry—the Registry of Bone Sarcoma, which was initiated, and originally managed, by Ernest Amory Codman, MD, FACS.
In his introductory remarks, ACS Founder Franklin H. Martin, MD, FACS, notes that “from this small beginning” other registries might evolve that would be useful in advancing medical and surgical science. He was right. Since then, the College has developed other important registries, including the National Cancer Data Base and the National Trauma Data Bank®. Both of these repositories have expanded in recent years and play a vital role in the College’s ongoing research efforts, which are integral to ensuring that surgical patients receive high-quality surgical care.
The establishment of the Registry of Bone Sarcoma in 1921 was a seminal event in the College’s history, and the January 1926 Bulletin described the findings that emerged from the study of the data collected in great detail. Following are introductory remarks from that Bulletin, which briefly summarize the College’s experience in establishing and managing the Registry of Bone Sarcoma.