"Clear and precise definition of disease, and the application of such names to them as are expressive of their true and real nature, are of more consequence than they are generally imagined to be; untrue or imperfect ones occasion false ideas, and false ideas are generally followed by erroneous practice." Sir Percival Pott 1765 [1]

The nature of so-called colonic adenoma is a controversial and confusing subject, and nomenclatures as well as classification of such lesions have not been universally agreed upon. The true nature of colonic adenoma remains a mystery for most, if not all, students of the subject. In this and following articles, we will attempt to clarify this issue by review of the literature in historical perspective, histopathologic study of tissue sections available to us, and comparison with neoplasms of the skin and the breast. In this first article, we review articles beginning in the 18th century until the publication of the World Health Organization in 1976.