I appreciate Editor Claude Organ's request that I add a comment to this special remembrance of Giuseppe Grassi by his son Giovanni B. Grassi.
I first met Giuseppe in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1970 at an organizational meeting of the Collegium Internationale Chirurgie Digestivae. It was obvious that this adopted Roman had leadership qualities. Along with Professor Louis Hollender of Strasbourg, Germany, and Professor Fabiano Benedetti-Valentini of Rome, Italy, Professor Grassi organized the Collegium Internationale Chirurgie Digestivae and presided over the First World Congress of the Collegium, San Remo, Italy, in 1970. As an indication of the success of this Grassi-inspired venture, note that the Collegium Internationale Chirurgie Digestivae held its 15th World Congress in Seoul, Korea, from September 11 to 14, 1996, with Robert E. Condon, MD, Milwaukee, Wis, as president.
In addition to his seminal role with the Collegium Internationale Chirurgie Digestivae, I remember Professor Grassi for 2 scientific contributions,