The British Neuropathological Society is a professional organisation dedicated to the science of

neuropathology Neuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole-body autopsies. Neuropathologists usually work in a department of anatomic pathology, but work closely with the clini ...

. It is one of several national societies composed of neuropathologists. These national groups are members of the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) which was formed in May 1967, derived from a previous international group of neuropathologists formed in 1950.

Objectives

The object of the Society is to further the study of neuropathology, to promote the exchange of scientific and professional information by means of regular meetings, lectures and publications, and to provide the opportunity for discussions between neuropathologists in

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

and 'overseas'.

History

Godwin Greenfield is regarded as the founding father of the British Neuropathological Society. His career had spanned the years during which neuropathology began to be recognised as a specialty, rather than as merely applied

neurology Neurology (from , "string, nerve" and the suffix wikt:-logia, -logia, "study of") is the branch of specialty (medicine) , medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the nervous syst ...

psychiatry Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of deleterious mental disorder, mental conditions. These include matters related to cognition, perceptions, Mood (psychology), mood, emotion, and behavior. ...

, and he was one of the first to regard himself as a neuropathologist. By the time he retired from Queen Square in 1949 the advent of the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

had seen the establishment of neurosurgical centres throughout the country, many with neuropathologists already in post. In 1950 with a group of senior colleagues Greenfield started the Neuropathological Club, with 28 founder members. The Club served two useful purposes. It had an important educational function, allowing members of the different schools of neuropathology that had sprung up around the country the opportunity to get together to discuss problem cases, and it united those who had a major clinical commitment in neuropathology with those concerned principally with experimental work. Two years later in 1952 the first International Congress of Neuropathology was held in

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. This was not to everyone's approval: the neurologist Sir Francis Walshe commented with dismay that separate international meetings for neuropathologists and neurosurgeons tore “the seamless garment of neurology”.In 1962 the club had grown sufficiently for it to become more formal, and the name was changed to the British Neuropathological Society (BNS).1967 saw the founding of the International Society of Neuropathology, in which BNS members have played an active role, providing four of the Secretaries-General and two of the Presidents to date. In 1975 the BNS launched Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology, which has become one of the major neuropathology journals Journal Website published by Wiley By the year 2000, when the British Neuropathological Society celebrated its 50th anniversary, there were more than 200 active members.

References

External links

* {{authority control Anatomical pathology Neurology organizations Neuroscience in the United Kingdom Pathology organizations 1950 establishments in the United Kingdom Scientific organizations established in 1950 Scientific organisations based in the United Kingdom