The history of the journal Neurology Bulletin (to the 130th anniversary)

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The year 2023 marks the 130th anniversary of the beginning of the publication of the Neurological Bulletin, one of the oldest specialized medical journals. Its creation was connected with the foundation of the Neurological Society in Kazan by V.M. Bekhterev and L.O. Darkshevich in 1892.

During this period, two similar societies already existed in Russia. It existed for several years and resumed its activity in 1879 as a Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists of St. Petersburg. The Society was headed by I.M. Balinsky and then by I.M. Merzheevsky. In the mid-1970s, a circle of neuropathologists was created in Moscow on the initiative of A.Y. Kozhevnikov and S.S. Korsakov, which gave rise to the Moscow Society of Neuropathologists and Psychiatrists in 1890 [1].

The first comprehensive studies of the nervous system related to clinical mental manifestations were initiated at the Imperial University of Kazan in 1869 by the Society of Natural Scientists. The created psychophysiological section at this Society included P.F. Lesgaft (anatomist), K.A. Arnstein (histologist), N.O. Kovalevsky (physiologist), A.Y. Danilevsky (biochemist), N. P. Wagner (zoologist), A.V. Petrov (pathologist), A.I. Jacobi (hygienist), M.M. Troitsky (philosopher and psychologist), I.M. Gvozdev (professor of forensic medicine), E.V. Adamyuk (ophthalmologist), and I.M. Dogel (pharmacolo- gist) [2].

This section united the scientific schools of the Medical Faculty of Kazan University, which laid the foundation for the study of the nervous system through natural sciences in association with psychology, which was developing in those years as a branch of philosophical knowledge.

N.O. Kovalevsky and I.M. Gvozdev, members of this section, were the initiators of V.M. Bekhterev’s invitation to the Imperial Kazan University, where he continued comprehensive studies of the human nervous system together with the Department of Physiology from 1885. On January 30, 1891, V.M. Bekhterev presented the charter of the Neurological Society at a meeting of the Faculty of Medicine: “Under the general name of neurology is now understood a number of branches of knowledge where the subject of study is the nervous system in general, i.e., structure, development, function, etc. Thus, neurology in a broad sense embraces not only anatomy, embryology, and physiology of the nervous system, but also experimental psychology or so-called psychophysics, which in turn serves as a link between physiology of the nervous system and empirical psychology. Equally in close relation to neurology stand such fields of medicine as neuropathology and psychiatry with forensic psychopathology, which are aimed, so to speak, at the practical application of neurological knowledge at the bedside of patients and in matters concerning the clarification of the morbid state of persons on trial. As everyone knows, the mentioned fields of medicine have more than one practical importance and provide rich and no doubt inexhaustible material for the elucidation of the structure and functions of the nervous system. The recent advances in these medical sciences, especially neuropathology, will serve as an impetus for the development and expansion of our knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system. All of the above branches of knowledge, which form part of neurology, as the science of the nervous system in general, are being developed by persons of various specialties in a wide variety of laboratories and clinics. Thus, the recent development of neurology was promoted by the studies coming out of histological, physiological, pharmacological, and zoological laboratories and neuropathological and psychiatric clinics and by the works of physicians engaged in neuropathology and psychiatry and, consequently, having the opportunity to observe nervous and mental patients. Definitely, this division of scientific forces contributing to the development of neurological knowledge should not be regretted at all, since the current progress and the tremendous development of neurological knowledge, which were achieved during the last quarter of our century, should be mainly dependent on the division of labor between different specialties. Along with this division of scientific forces and the employment of persons studying the nervous system, there must undoubtedly be scientific communication between them, and an exchange of ideas and mutual help, which is the guarantee of the success of any endeavor, and therefore of the scientific one.

For this reason, the formation of neurological societies, which already exist in both our capitals, is an urgent need of our time, especially since the most important issues of neurology for their development require different methods of investigation and the participation of different specialists. For an example, it will suffice to point to the knowledge of the cerebral pathways, which was developed as much by embryology, anatomy, experimental physiology, and the pathological anatomy of the nervous system, as well as by clinical neuropathology.

At Kazan University, many persons are engaged in the development of neurological questions. This is evidenced by a series of studies on the nervous system conducted by persons belonging to the staff of Kazan University or under their direct supervision. As in other scientific centres, such researches are conducted in various laboratories and clinics of Kazan University. Thus, our histological laboratory is known to have recently made the delicate structure of the nervous system the subject of extensive and highly interesting research. On the other hand, the study of comparative anatomy and embryology of the nervous system is the subject of special research in the zoological laboratories of Kazan University.

Similarly, the study of the functions of the nervous system was always a favourite subject of physiological research in the laboratories. In this respect, the representatives of the physiological laboratories of Kazan University can proudly mention several important investigations conducted by themselves or their pupils. Equally, when studying the effect of these or other agents on the body, our pharmacological laboratory is constantly confronted with the activity of the nervous system. And the effect of a drug often depends on changes in this activity. Therefore, this laboratory, represented by its head and students, in turn, annually enriches our information with the most important and extremely interesting researches on nervous physiology and the influence of these or other remedies on the nervous system.

In the psychiatric office [psychophysiological laboratory], despite its relatively recent existence, several studies were conducted on the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, on experimental psychology and on issues related to clinical psychiatry and neuropathology.

Finally, representatives of the psychiatric and neuropathological departments at Kazan University, as well as many physicians attached both to the special clinics of Kazan University and to other hospital institutions in Kazan, often publish clinical observations on nervous and mental patients.

However, in spite of this abundance of scientists devoting themselves to the study of one or another branch of neurology, no society exists at Kazan University, which would satisfy the natural need for scientific communication between these persons and thereby contribute to the further progress and development of neurology and, at the same time, to the publication of works on this most important branch of knowledge.

The mentioned lack is going to be filled by the projected neurological society at Kazan University” [3].

On March 22, 1891, the discussion of the project of the Neurological Society began at the meeting of the Faculty of Medicine, attended by many opponents and doubters of the expediency of such a society. Instead of creating a separate society, organizing a section under one of the already existing societies at the university, particularly the Societies of Natural Scientists or Physicians (Prof. I.F. Vysotsky and A.Y. Shcherbakov), was proposed. In addition, the opinion was that this society, due to the isolation of its goals and objectives, is unsuitable for either the University or the Faculty of Medicine (Prof. A.N. Horvat).

Professor V.M. Bekhterev joined the discussion and said that these societies had their specific tasks, whereas the Society of Neurologists could include representatives of other professions who could not be members of societies of natural scientists or physicians, such as lawyers, physiologists, and other professions [4].

The statutes of the Society were approved by the Minister of Public Education on May 5, 1892. Paragraph 4 of the statute stated that the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists was entitled to publish a journal, which was named the Neurological Bulletin from the first issue published in 1893.

On May 29, 1892, the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists at the Imperial Kazan University was inaugurated, at which V.M. Bekhterev was elected Chairman of the Society and delivered an introductory lecture “On the Contemporary Development of Neurological Knowledge and the Importance of Scientific Societies.”

On September 5, 1892, an administrative meeting was held to organize the printed organ of the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists. The bookseller N.Y. Bashmakov offered his services for the publication of the new journal on the terms of the right to sell reprints of published articles. The bookseller demanded from the society only payment for the creation of cliché drawings. The latter was decided to be conducted at the expense of interest on 2000 rubles donated to the Society by the wife of O.P. Karpova, a Kazan merchant [5].

At the Society’s meeting on September 30, V.M. Bekhterev reported on the agreement to publish the Society’s journal entitled Neurological Bulletin in three issues annually from the beginning of 1893. The first issue was dedicated to the memory of the physiologist Prof. N.O. Kovalevsky. Its circulation was determined by the book publisher and ranged from 30 to 60 copies, which was clearly insufficient. The members reported this at the meetings of the Society of Neuropathologists and Psychiatrists, noting the difficulties of exchanging literature with other scientific societies to replenish the scientific library.

The Neurological Bulletin became the third journal with specialization in neuroscience (after the Kharkov journal Archives of Psychiatry, Neurology and Forensic Psychopathology published under the editorship of Prof. P.I. Kovalevsky since 1883 and the St. Petersburg journal Bulletin of Clinical and Forensic Psychopathology and Neurology published since 1883 under the editorship of I.P. Merzheevsky). An important feature of the new journal was the publication of works on clinical psychiatry, neurology, anatomy, histology, physiology of the nervous system, and experimental psychology. Currently, among the above journals, only Neurological Bulletin is still being published.

The new journal was not a commercial success when it was launched. The book publisher repeatedly appealed to the members of the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists with a request to assume part of the publishing costs of the journal [6]. Since September 1893, at the request of N.Y. Bashmakov, the printing house at the Imperial Kazan University printed 13 pages of each issue of the Neurological Bulletin. This allowed increasing the number of issues of the journal to four annually.

On September 19, 1893, the appointment of V.M. Bekhterev to the Military Medical Academy was announced at the meeting. The members of the Society unanimously supported the proposal of K.A. Arnstein, Dean of the Medical Faculty, that the Neurological Bulletin should continue to be edited by V.M. Bekhterev.

In 1894, the chair of psychiatry at the Imperial Kazan University was headed by N.M. Popov. In addition, he was elected Chairman of the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists and co-editor of the journal.

On November 12, 1895, N.M. Popov reported at a meeting of the society that Bashmakov refused to continue publishing the journal, citing heavy losses. Simultaneously, V.M. Bekhterev reported that he had agreed with Ricker’s firm in St. Petersburg to continue publication of the Neurological Bulletin on the same terms with minor additions.

Some professors were suspicious about the possibility of transferring the publication to St. Petersburg, whereas the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists supported this proposal, noting that the Neurological Bulletin would be more widely distributed with a solid publishing house.

Professor N.M. Popov analyzed the first decade of the society’s work in 1902 and noted that the Neurological Bulletin did not pursue commercial goals. However, all publishing costs were recouped from the income of the journal, and the profit was used to expand and improve the journal.

The large circulation allowed the exchange of specialized literature with other scientific communities, which significantly expanded the library of the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists in Kazan. The journal already had approximately 65 regular subscribers, mainly psychiatric and neurological clinics. Scientific articles published in the Neurological Bulletin were abstracted in large German and French journals. In addition, 10 copies of the issue were regularly sent abroad.

The professor noted that the Neurological Bulletin has already taken a prominent place in specialized literature in Russia and abroad. The number of authors wishing to publish their works increased significantly (primarily from other countries), and many articles “had to be returned for impossibility to print in the current year” [7].

After N.M. Popov’s transfer to Odessa in 1903, he remained a nonresident editor of the journal. The new head of the Department of Psychiatry was the famous Russian psychiatrist P.I. Kovalevsky, who worked in Kazan for 1 year to obtain the title of Professor Emeritus. Given the short period of his work, the physiologist N.A. Mislavsky was elected as the new co-editor of the Neurological Bulletin. From 1906 until the journal was closed in 1917–1918, the fourth co-editor of the Neurological Bulletin was Professor V.P. Osipov, a student of V.M. Bekhterev, who headed the Department of Psychiatry in Kazan until 1915.

After leaving Kazan, all editors retained their membership in the Society of Neurologists and Psychiatrists and remained co-editors. From 1906 to 1918, the cover of each issue of the Neurological Bulletin bore the names of all four co-editors: V.M. Bekhterev, N.M. Popov, N.A. Mislavsky, and V.P. Osipov.

After the revolutionary events of 1917–1918, most Russian scientific journals ceased publication, and the Neurological Bulletin was among these journals. Only in 1993, its publication was continued in Kazan owing to the efforts of Prof. M.F. Ismagilov. In 1995, the Neurological Bulletin was named after its founder and first editor V.M. Bekhterev.

 

ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНО

Финансирование. Исследование не имело спонсорской поддержки.

Конфликт интересов. Авторы заявляют об отсутствии конфликта интересов.

Вклад авторов. Созинов А.С. — руководство работой, анализ данных; Менделевич В.Д. — сбор материала, анализ данных; Митрофанов И.А. — сбор материала, анализ данных.

Funding. This publication was not supported by any external sources of funding.

Conflict of interests. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Contribution of the authors. A.S. Sozinov — head of work, data analysis; V.D. Mendelevich — collection of material, data analysis; I.A. Mitrofanov — collection of material, data analysis.

About the authors

Alexey S. Sozinov

Kazan State Medical University

Email: rector@kazangmu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0686-251X
SPIN-code: 3586-9592

M.D., D. Sci. (Med.), academician, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan, Prof., Rector

Russian Federation, Kazan

Vladimir D. Mendelevich

Kazan State Medical University

Email: mendelevich_vl@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8476-6083
SPIN-code: 2302-2590
https://kazangmu.ru/psychiatry/sotrudniki-kafedry

M.D., D. Sci. (Med.), Prof., Head of the Depart., Depart. of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology

Russian Federation, Kazan

Ivan A. Mitrofanov

Kazan State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: iv.mitrofanov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0541-7038
SPIN-code: 5782-0447

M.D., assistant, Depart. of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology

Russian Federation, Kazan

References

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