Official organs and entangling alliances. The brief association of The American Journal of Surgery and the Southern Surgical Association (1932-1935).

In this article, the short-lived editorial relationship between the Southern Surgical Association and The American Journal of Surgery is described. Some of the factors that may have been responsible for the abrupt termination of this relationship are discussed, including in particular the rejection by the Journal editors of certain papers presented before the Association, and the steadfast refusal of the Journal to categorize itself as the official publication of any organization. Despite the brevity of the relationship, it was of great value to the Association, since it served for the first time to bring the scientific proceedings of the organization to the attention of the surgical population of America and of the English-speaking world.