THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH IN M EDICINE, BASED ON THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES FROM THE ORIGINAL ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN LA-PRESSE-MEDICALE FROM 1920 TO 1995

Aims: To describe and analyse the frequency of the various languages i n the bibliographical references from the original articles published in La Presse Medicale during the past 75 years (1920-1995). Methods: T he languages of publication of 11,531 references from 800 original wor ks published in La Presse Medicale between 1920 and 1995 were determin ed at the rate of 50 articles per year at intervals of five years. Res ults: The percentage of references in French remained constant until 1 945, but has been decreasing progressively since that time: 78% in 192 0, 77% in 1945, 37% in 1970 and 16% in 1995. The percentage of referen ces in English, on the other hand, has continued to increase, especial ly since 1945: 6% in 1920, 13% in 1945, 58% in 1970 and 83% in 1995. C onclusions: The importance of English started to increase from 1945, b ut did not supplant French as the main language of medicine in France until 1970 (twenty years later than usually accepted up to now). Since then, the difference between English and French has continued to incr ease constantly up to the present day.