International Committee on Anatomical Nomenclature

Scope and Content

Mitchell was honorary secretary of this committee from 1955 to 1970, and chairman from 1970 to 1975. The Committee was established following a decision by the Fifth International Congress of Anatomists meeting at Oxford in 1950 to undertake revisions of the Basle Nomina Anatomica (B.N.A), the standard for anatomical terminology, which had been introduced in 1895. This had not gained wholesale acceptance, and alternatives had been produced in the 1930s in Great Britain and Germany. The IANC included representatives from many countries, who met frequently to revise the BNA.

Mitchell's papers include:

  • /1 Folder of circular letters, notices etc. of the Committee, 1954-1970
  • /2 Report prepared for 1954 meeting, providing interdiction to the Committee's work, and details of BNA and IANC revisions
  • /3-4 Lists similar to /2 of revised terminology
  • /5 A folder containing Mitchell's papers for the International; Group op Exported on medical terminology and medical dictionaries meeting at UNESCO, Paris, 15-17 November 1965.
  • /6 Correspondence relating to the nomenclature of coronary arterial branches with Professors Kretschmann (Frankfurt), Oelrich (Michigan) and Woodburne (Michigan), 1969-1970.
  • /7 Lists for the revision of the cerebral vessels, 1969.
  • /8 Manuscript and typescript copies of revisions for the 3rd edition index on Nominal Anatomical, 1965.
  • /9 Correspondence relating to translation problems for Russian terms, which were submitted by Professor M S Spirov of Kiev University. Includes a copy letter from Mitchell to Professor John Dumbreck (University of Manchester) requesting assistance; some documents are in Russian.