Acta Neuropathologica and their case reports

Excerpt

About 20 years ago I considered where to submit my first neuropathology paper, a case report, and concluded that Acta Neuropathologica "is" the appropriate journal. I therefore should be red-faced when admitting that it was only a few years ago (I was already an Editor of this journal) when I realized that “Acta” is not singular, but it represents the plural form of the Latin word actum, meaning file. Acta Neuropathologica stands for something like “Roman Files of Neuropathology”. In my defence, I could only say that the Latin word acta does indeed exist and means beach, so that at a time when searching PubMed and submitting papers can be done online and through wireless on the beach, the singular form would be up-to-date. On the other hand, I suggest that the founding editors of this journal could have intended the plural meaning and this is reflected in the title of my editorial. …