Acta Clinica Croatica, the journal of the Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital, has been publishing continuously since 1962. In the world of medicine and medical periodicals that has seen huge and tumultuous changes since 1962, our journal has been issued regularly, in face of all obstacles and difficulties, for forty-five years now.
A total of 157 issues and 71 supplements have appeared to date.
The journal has changed its format and cover color from green to blue twice, and the name three times, following changes in the name of the Hospital. So, from 1962 until 1971, the name of the journal was Anali Bolnice "Dr. M. Stojanović"; from 1971 until 1991, Anali Kliničke bolnice "Dr. M. Stojanović"; and since 1991 its name is Acta Clinica Croatica.




The first issue from 1962 begins with a foreword saying: "In this journal, physicians and other medical professionals from various departments are expected to present their achievements and results of their research. In this way, a broader circle of professionals outside our Hospital would be informed about the professional experience and achievements acquired at our Hospital as well as with the research done at the Hospital". The foreword was signed by the Editorial Board consisting of heads of all departments and Hospital director, founders of the journal: Boško M. Barac, Ante Blau, Ante Gospodnetić, Vladimir Hudolin, Silvije Kadrnka, Velimir Kirhmajer, Milan Knežević, Ivan Meixner, Emil Najman, Ivo Padovan, Ivan Radej, Danko Riessner, Bogdan Srdar, Dinko Sučić, Ante Šercer and Milan Žepić.

Nowadays, such a concept of the journal is clearly recognized as visionary, as the thought of Jerome p. Kassier, Editor-in-Chief of the highly esteemed medical publication New England Journal of Medicine, from 1999 stating that a medical journal in fact is 'a university without wals', has recently been widely adopted by many editorial boards of journals with international reputation.

From the foundation of the journal, Professor Vladimir Hudolin, M.D., Ph.D., was its Editor-in-Chief for as long as 27 years, from 1962 till 1989. Editors are said to determine the faith of their journals,i.e. their development, contents, reputation, etc. And so it really was with the Anali, as the journal reflected its Editor-in-Chief's rich professional, scientific and organizational activities in particular, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. So, presentations from all symposia on alcoholism held in Zagreb, then papers from the Third International Congress of Social Psychiatry, and First Yugoslav Congress on Alcoholism were published from 1964.

Now, when the entire period can be grasped, with particular years fitting the whole, it should be emphasized that professor Hudolin managed to maintain balance between so-called 'his own topics' and other professions from the Hospital. Besides numerous papers by other physicians, issues dedicated to some renowned physicians from the Hospital, there are special issues bringing papers presented at professional meetings held at the Hospital. These at first were Days of Ophthalmology, followed soon by Days of Urology. From the very first appearance of the journal, supplements bringing doctoral dissertations of the Hospital physicians were published, and from 1978 student contributions, book reviews, lists of papers published by Hospital physicians during the current year, etc.
When it was decided to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Hospital in 1985, all issues of the respective volume contained articles on the Hospital departments and institutes, and on the development of particular professions, preceded by a brief editorial by Professor Hudolin on the history and role of the respective department or institute. Two special issues were also published, one with bibliography of the Hospital employees from 1883 till 1985, and the other bringing historical and actual presentions of departments and institutes written by their heads.

In 1990, Professor Branko Lang, M.D., Ph.D., was elected Editor-in-Chief. He also succeeded to Professor Hudolin as head of the Department of Neurology, Psychiatry, Alcoholism and Other Dependencies. Unfortunately, due to his untimely death, professor Lang was Editor-in-Chief for only three volumes, i.e. from 1990 through 1993 and the first1994 issue. During this period, the name of the journal was changed, as explained above. The period was strongly influenced by the patriotic war in Croatia, in which the Hospital took active part as well. That is why No.3 from 1992 was dedicated to this honorable period in the Hospital history, bringing 16 professional papers by Hospital physicians as a contribution to military medicine.

Till the end of 1994, the journal was edited by Assist. Professor Vlatko Thaller, M.D., Ph.D. and Professor Miljenko Solter, M.D.,Ph.D. In 1995, Professor Zvonko Kusić, M.D., Ph.D., was elected Editor-in-Chief, and Professor Vida Demarin, M.D., Deputy Editor. They published an editorial in No.3 from 1995. This issue appeared on a greater format and with a new cover created by the painter Mihajlo Arsovski. In the brief and concise editorial, they elaborated their concept of the journal future development. First of all, it was decided that all articles be published in English language with summaries in Croatian. By then, it was not the case, as the journal was only occasionally characterized by bilingual presentations. Also, priority was to be given to scientific over professional papers, in order to as soon as possible achieve the quality level characteristic of renowned and esteemed medical journals from Europe.

The next five years of the appearance of Acta Clinica Croatica have shown the journal to possess the potentials, and the Editorial Board to be strong-willed and determined to imprive the quality of the journal concerning both the contents and technical details.

Since the year 2000, the journal has its web pages, new sections, appears regularly quarterly, and the number of papers submitted for publication has doubled. Many renowned professionals from Croatia and abroad have joined its Editorial Council, which has additionally enriced communication of the journal with other medical settings.

In the present world of medical periodicals, all editorial boards tend to the highest possible quality of the contributions, however, being at the same time aware that the reading audience is best attracted by the journal representing a forum open for discussion among well informed professionals. That is what the Editorial Board of our journal is striving at as well.

The history of our journal Acta Clinica Croatica offers us precious information on the past decades of development, whereas our present contriburors, readers and editors open for us a perspective of future advances. And that is why we do believe in the future of our journals as well as of our Hospital .

Tanja Sušec, B.A.