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NEWS: Deborah Cohen Richard Smith has left the building BMJ 2004; 329: 309-a [Full text]

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A great personality

Fernando S Cavalcanti, 52060-170 Brazil   (5 August 2004)

Professor Richard Smith and Dr Joseph Ana : A Tale Of Two BMJ Editors

Joseph . C . Obi   (7 August 2004)

"Characteristic Good Humour" of Dr Smith

Jay Ilangaratne   (13 August 2004)

A great personality 5 August 2004
Fernando S Cavalcanti, Adjunct Professor Universidade Federal Pernambuco, 52060-170 Brazil Send response to journal: Re: A great personality	The electronic midia give us so good opportunities. Almost 7 years I've been reading every friday the BMJ, specially Dr. Richard's editorials, opinion or position. And since then I learned a lot about the word. I think that person like him should never retire. Kind regards Fernando Cavalcanti Competing interests: None declared
Professor Richard Smith and Dr Joseph Ana : A Tale Of Two BMJ Editors 7 August 2004
Joseph . C . Obi, Professor Of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Research ; College Of Natural Medicine , Larnarca , Cyprus , European Union . (www.CollegeNaturalMedicine.org) Send response to journal: Re: Professor Richard Smith and Dr Joseph Ana : A Tale Of Two BMJ Editors	Professor Richard Smith CBE (Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal) gracefully left the BMJ (for a much better paid job) at the end of July 2004 ; amidst 'Encomiums' (Mea Culpa) , 'Razzmatazz' (Mea Maxima Culpa) and 'Imminent Immortality' (Mea 'Very' Maxima Culpa). On the other hand , Commissioner (Dr) Joseph Ana (BMJ Managing Editor of the West African Edition) bravely left the BMJ and his Lucrative Bedfordshire GP Surgery (for a much lesser paid job assisting 3 million 'Needy Nigerian Citizens') at the end of June 2004 ; amidst silence...more silence...and even much more silence at that. Perhaps the Chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) should swiftly correct this 'Immoral Oversight' immediately ; as consistently 'Drafting' ,'Editing' and 'Supplying' a Local Edition of the BMJ throughout an 'Abjectly Impoverished Region' of over 500 million 'Multilingual West Africans' at least deserves some sort of 'Befitting Public Citation'. As an 'Interim Measure' , (on behalf of over 3 Billion 'Ethnic Minorities' scattered all over the world) ; may I humbly Thank Dr Joseph Ana (and the whole 'Ana Dynasty') for selflessly (and silently) doing such wonderful work...without even asking for any form of praise or recognition in return. God Bless You , Dr Ana : Your reward (most certainly) awaits you in Heaven. (Don't bother waiting for it here on Earth !!!). Competing interests: Professor Joseph Chikelue Obi FRCAM (Dublin) FRIPH (UK) FACAM (USA) also serves as Provost at the Royal College of Alternative Medicine (RCAM) , Dublin ; where an Interdisciplinary Revalidation Initiative (IRI) has recently been proposed for Seasoned Practitioners in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (including 'Emeritus Physicians'). Please kindly visit www.RoyalCAM.org for more details.
"Characteristic Good Humour" of Dr Smith 13 August 2004
Jay Ilangaratne, Founder Medical-Journals.com Send response to journal: Re: "Characteristic Good Humour" of Dr Smith	I list below some examples, so the readers might be able to further appreciate the "characteristic good humour" [1]of the previous editor,Richard Smith. * Using his freedom to express,then editor gloated that he 'earned a tiny place in its history being the first editor to print the word "fuck."'[2] * In a rather invective piece, he said, "Reading the quote on a Forest advertisement tightens my anus"[3] * Described those who write frequently as "Bores"[4] * Then he went onto reclassify the "Bores" as "problem children"[5] * Many will know that Dr Smith failed to apologise for publishing an inaccurate, misleading, and offensive obituary of Dr Horrobin which hurt the feelings of many BMJ readers;I wonder whether this too, reflects his "good humour". * Finally, he has not failed to maintain his "characteristic good humour" by using "bugger off"[1]at his 'farewell' interview. If I have missed any relevant example/s,then others may contribute by submitting the missing ones. References [1]Deborah Cohen. Richard Smith has left the building BMJ 2004; 329: 309-a [2]http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/322/7294/DC1#14815 [3]http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/327/7427/0-h? [4]http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/320/7250/1660/a#8665 [5]Smith R. Twenty thousand conversations . BMJ 2002;324:1171-1172 Competing interests: I believe that the BMJ editor need not use intemperate language as it could give the impression that he is abusing his position