The Foundation Story of Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology

The first medical school in the Ottoman period was founded in İstanbul on March 14, 1827. Mr. Civan Ananyan, who had graduated from this school 45 years later in 1872, was sent to Paris immediately after his graduation for ear and throat diseases education (1). After he returned to İstanbul three years later in 1875, he was appointed as an assistant physician in internal medicine in the medical school as the ear-nose-throat (ENT) unit had not been established then. He was appointed as an assistant teacher to teach ENT lessons to medical students on February 17, 1878 (2).

The second person to be sent to Paris for ENT education was Şefik Pasha, who was a student of Dr. Ananyan. The first separate ENT clinic was founded by Şefik Pasha after he returned to İstanbul in 1890 (2).

In the following years, the number of otorhinolaryngologists who had graduated from Civil Medicine School, Gülhane and Haydarpaşa Faculties of Medicine, and Military Medical School gradually increased. However, because of the wars that broke out, otorhinolaryngologists could not find the opportunity to get together and discuss professional issues. After the proclamation of the Republic, our otorhinolaryngologists felt the need to come together as they were affected by the organizations they saw abroad. As a result of this, Dr. Haydar İbrahim, Dr. İhya Salih, Dr. Sani Yaver, Dr. Ahmet Ata, and Dr. Ziya Nuri founded the Turkish ORL Society in İstanbul on May 8, 1930 (3).

Our otorhinolaryngologists, who came together in the monthly meetings of the society, struggled to educate and enlighten each other by discussing their issues. In the upcoming years, the otorhinolaryngologists began to disperse throughout the country as they were appointed to the other parts of the country. As a result of this, the Turkish ORL Society made a decision to gather the I. National Congress biyearly. The first National Congress gathered under the leadership of Dr. Sani Yaver, Dr. Ekrem Behçet, Dr. Ziyaettin Maktav, Dr. Safa Karatay, and Dr. Hikmet Arkun in Gureba Hospital İstanbul, 21 years after the foundation of the society on October 4, 1951. Almost 50 otorhinolaryngologists attended this meeting.

In the later years, the idea to announce the discussions made in the monthly meetings and congresses to those who could not attend these meetings gradually came to the agenda. Thereupon, the “Turkish Otorhinolaryngology Archive,” which was the first Turkish Otorhinolaryngology journal, began its publication life in November 1962, exactly 11 years after the gathering of the first congress (Figure 1, 2).

Figure 1.

The section of Contents on the first page of the Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology

Figure 2.

Prof. Dr. Hikmet Altuğ, the founder and first editor of the Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology

Our journal’s first editor Prof. Dr. M. Hikmet Altuğ began the first issue of the journal with the saying “Verba volent, Scripta manent,” namely “spoken words fly away, written words remain” and wrote these (4):

“There are dates that can be regarded as milestones in Turkish otorhinolaryngology history. The first of these is the young captain and master of masters, Ziya Nuri, who was the father of modern ear medicine in our country, foundation of Emrazı Üzniye, Enfiye, and Hançereviye lecterns (December 1900 İstanbul).”

The emergence of the Otorhinolaryngology Society was the second stage, which was made possible by those who aspired to establish a society in this discipline with Sani Yaver and İhya Salih in Haydar İbrahim’s clinic in Galatasaray Tütün Çıkmazı (May 8, 1930).

The society, organizing professional meetings on the first Monday evenings of each month for 20 years, was in despair. The society was deprived of the observations and studies of their colleagues who were out of İstanbul. They were also far away to share their experiences and information.

Finally, the head of the society considered to organize national congresses biennially. Prof. Ekrem Behçet Tezel opened the first national congress in the Guraba-Çapa lecture hall (October 4, 1951). By this advanced step, it was predestined to see the sixth national congress in 10 years on Turkish Otorhinolaryngology.

Here it is possible to regard the journal we are happy to present to our colleagues as a necessary step in this developmental way.

Our archive, we believe, fills a gap in a world getting smaller with radio, television, and everyday changing medicine. It will publish monthly meeting subjects of our society and present all kinds of dissertations and original discoveries to world information centers.

As we always expect your help and critiques, we will strive to do our share on the road to reach Atatürk’s “level of contemporary civilization.”

Best regards.”

Dr. Hikmet Altuğ gave the first issue of the Turkish Otorhinolaryngology Archive to his teacher, Ekrem Behçet Tezel, who was then struggling with a severe disease. Dr. Ekrem Behçet wept with joy at the publication of the journal and was happy with the point arrived at and expressed his feelings in the second issue published in November 1962 as follows:

We have come to the realization stage of our expectation for a long time. We, as Turkish otorhinolaryngologists and members of society, celebrated today with joy and pride. We have continuously desired to own a journal for 30 years since the foundation of our society. Although our friends consistently wished for this, we could not realize it. It is natural and rational to accept that every society has its own journal. We could not dare considering the difficulties of making a decision for such an attempt.

We knew well that it was easy to say but more difficult to write. We all believed that it was necessary to read a lot in order to write. Additionally, we felt a deep sadness that our society did not have a journal. There is almost no written study that we can present other than published and distributed reports of the meetings, arranged biennially, of our society having a 30 years history since 1951.

As I regard the birth of the Turkish Otolaryngology Archive by the propitious attempts of our dear friend and the general secretary of our society Prof. Dr. H. Altuğ with happiness, I suppose my friends too will share my feelings. I congratulate my dear friend for his significant success.

As I wish with all my heart that the journal, which I find praiseworthy for having both a scientific value and being elegantly arranged, will continue its publication life, I trust the considerable efforts of Prof. Altuğ and scientific support of my friends and young colleagues.

In the following pages of the same journal, popular otorhinolaryngologists at that time expressed their happiness for the publishing of the journal in the letters to Hikmet Altuğ as follows:

“I received Turkish Otolaryngology Archive. This journal will fill the gap in Turkish medicine literature. I congratulate you both for the journal’s content and its printing quality and wish it a long life” İstanbul 12.20.1962 Dr. Ziyaettin Maktav

“… I hereby wish that the journal your institution began to issue has a long and successful broadcasting life.” Ankara, 12.23.1962 Prof. Dr. Vahdettin Özan

“I am very happy to hear that Turkish Otolaryngology Archive was distributed. This attempt will feed the effort and enthusiasm of those who love the profession but who do not have the opportunity to closely follow literature in a way to become today’s otorhinolaryngologists. Ankara, 01.24.1963 Dr. Nevzat Ülgen

…I have received Turkish Otolaryngology Archive with great pleasure. I congratulate and wish you success.

The most significant success in publication is the continuity of writing.

It is very important to supply financial support for these three otorhinolaryngology clinics.

Although the publication of such a journal was considered when our great teacher, Ziya Nuri Pasha, founded the Otorhinolaryngology Society, the few specialists, the difficulty in rush writing with education, the supply of money, and the difficulty correcting the writings in Arabian letters made it a trouble in itself.

I am very happy that you, the valuable warriors of the otorhinolaryngology, have accomplished this task. You will not be contented with what we have and further expand this branch.” Kadıköy, 02.12.1963 Dr. Ali Haydar Erel

“…You are giving me priceless good news. This is the second successful move of our society.

All institutions of civilized nations are based on history. The point that societies without history will arrive at is a nonentity…” Kadıköy, 09.11.1962 Prof. Sani Yaver

“…I have received the journal called Turkish Otolaryngology Archive. You will also appraise how beneficial it is, especially for physicians in Anatolia. We appreciate your studies as physicians in Anatolia.”

Eskişehir, 12.3.1962 Dr. Mete Tan

“…Turkish otorhinolaryngologists will memorialize you with gratitude to have released this issue.” İstanbul, 12.5.1962 Dr. Fikri Şenocak

“…First of all, I present my heartfelt congratulations for the publication of the Turkish Otorhinolaryngology Archive. You have accomplished a historical move by issuing our first journal. You have filled a great gap and made us proud besides our colleagues. The journal is very nice and is well set up. Our help with all our efforts is already necessary for you.”

Ankara, 12.17.1962 Prof. Dr. Emin Burad

Our journal that began its broadcasting life with these wishes continues its publication life with excitement like the first day and with increasing scientific contributions. As we memorialize our teachers who brought us to where we are today with mercy, the greatest gift we can give them is to continue our scientific efforts and enlighten our environment with our knowledge without leaving the torch.