in 1958, he organised the first international conference on sarcoidosis at the brompton hospital, at which 28 delegates, representing eight countries attended. the meeting lasted for three days and was the first international conference on sarcoidosis. he was later involved in setting up the world association of sarcoidosis and other granulomatous disorders (wasog) in 1987, in milan, italy and became its first president. subsequently, with the personal financial support of gianfranco rizzato, the journal "sarcoidosis", later renamed "sarcoidosis vasculitis and diffuse lung diseases", became the association's official publication. james became the journal's editor-in-chief and in 1987, the journal published a festschrift in his honour.