Toxicological Sciences 62, 360 (2001)
Copyright © 2001 by the Society of Toxicology
Letter
Comparative Toxicology Laboratories, Kansas State University, 1800 Denison Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66506
To the Editor:
Having greatly enjoyed Gabbie Plaa's excellent historical overview of the founding of the Society of Toxicology ("Toxicologists and the Founding of the Society of Toxicology", Toxicological Sciences 60, 3–5, 2001), Dr. Klaassen, it is with mixed emotions that the following information is offered for the sake of historical accuracy.
When, at the beginning of the third paragraph on page 4, it is stated that "Regarding professional societies, there were none in the U.S. that were clearly identified with the field of toxicology in the 1950s.", it unfortunately overlooks the formation and activities of the American College of Veterinary Toxicologists (ACVT). This professional organization resulted from the health and environmental concerns created by the expansion of the agrochemical industry referred to earlier in the Profile article, and the serious animal exposures/losses, food contaminations, human health risks, and environmental contaminations occurring in the years following World War II.
Among the objectives listed in Article III of the ACVT Constitution (adopted 1958) are " ... educational and scientific progress ... standards of training and experience for qualifications of specialists ... recognition of such qualified specialists by suitable certification ... discussion and interchange of teaching, research, diagnosis, nomenclature, public health, scientific information ... review published material ... disseminate information ... adopt uniform clinical and laboratory reporting methods ... standardization of collection and sampling techniques ... basic research in areas of knowledge that appear deficient."
The initial ACVT organizational meeting and adoption of Constitution occurred 15 January 1958 in Salt Lake City, UT. On 14 August 1958 the First Scientific Meeting took place in Philadelphia, PA, followed on 21 January 1959 by the Second Scientific Session in Salt Lake City, UT.
The quarterly "News from the American College of Veterinary Toxicologists" (Volume 1, 1959) was shortly renamed "Veterinary Toxicology" and in 1977 took its current title of "Veterinary and Human Toxicology" as a bimonthly peer-reviewed journal.
In 1967 the efforts of the ACVT resulted in incorporation of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology (ABVT) and its recognition by the American Veterinary Medical Association as the approved certifying specialty organization for veterinary toxicology. Certification examinations are given yearly at annual Conventions of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Organized toxicology has indeed come a long way in the past 40 plus years, and as Dr. Plaa has so eloquently described has resulted from the efforts of numerous individuals and many disciplines. Indeed, the dynamic growth and continuing vitality of toxicology may well be related to its multi-specialty origins and continuing reinforcing interactions. The Society of Toxicology is an excellent model for such scientific synergism. Long may it continue!
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