When it was founded, the International Journal of Speleology was divided into four sections: Botany-Microbiology, Zoology, Geology-Geomorphology and Abstract-News. After the first issue edited by G. Claus (USA) other two editors added: R. Husson (France) and G Nicholas (USA). Verlag von J. Kramer (Germany) printed the first two volumes; successively Swets & ZEITLINGER N.V. (The Netherlands) published it.Since 1972 R. Husson became Editor-in -chief with Br. G. Nicholas as Book & News Editor and nine volumes were issued in the period 1964 to 1977 when the very high cost of printing requested a radical change.In 1978 the IJS became the official journal of the Union International de Spéléologie and it was published in Italy where the printing cost was cheaper. R. Husson (Biospeleology), A.A. Cigna (Physical Speleology) and Br. G. Nicholas (Book & News) composed the Editorial Board.