Principle: The name is everything! How can the American College of Surgeons be international in scope? Who knows what the Trudeau Society is all about? How can the Lehigh County Medical Assistants Association attract and hold members from four nearby counties (Lehigh Valley would be better)?

The Founders avoided limiting words like American or National, or North American because we envisioned the society to be world-wide in scope.

We noted that the initials CNS also signified the Central Nervous System.

The word Congress was all inclusive -- American, European, Asian, South American (intercontinental). It was anticipated that at some future time it might be called The World (or International) Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

It was not a federation of societies so the emphasis was placed on individual professionals -- neurological surgeons.

The only objections came from the Europeans who viewed the word Congress as an occasional convening of professionals from more than one discipline or from several countries. It has not stopped them from attending or joining.

The name CNS was distinctive -- we knew the CNS would be different!

The writer also participated in the naming of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. It is a true federation of organizations and was so named.

We gave up the designation World (for now). There may be room for a World CNS at some future time!