What an Editor Does

...is curate. Without that intervention there's nothing but "blooming, buzzing confusion."(Henry James)

From the Online Etymological Dictionary

curator (n.) 

mid-14c., from Latin curator "overseer, manager, guardian," agent noun from curatus, past participle of curare (see cure (v.)). Originally of those put in charge of minors, lunatics, etc.; meaning "officer in charge of a museum, library, etc." is from 1660s.