This book attempts to provide we general physicians with a conveniently sized work for daily reference. It deals with an area of medical practice which is rapidly changing. For that reason regular updating with new material will need to be considered. The book does not profess to be encyc1opaedic. In order to keep the size of the book within bounds. there are no sections devoted solely to psychological medicine or to paediatrics. but the book does deal with the more common diseases as revealed by morbidity studies. The main section of the book-A-is concerned with these commoner diseases and is set out in conventional fashion. It is in two parts; the one dealing with therapeutics. the other with clinical phannacology. The second section-B-reviews therapy in some selected areas. Cancer. pain and tenninal care. contraception. and hyperlipoproteinaemias. It also contains pieces on common emergencies. home renal dialysis and tropical diseases in non-tropical countries. The creation of 'pain c1inics·. and the possibilities for the treatment of intractable pain are innovations calculated to be more widely used as we become more aware of theirvalue. The field of rehabilitation is one of which we general physicians are on less familiar ground. To say that by us it is a neglected field is perhaps not too strong a statement. The section on Drugs concentrates on the practical side of drug administration and hence the stress is on the incompatibilities. side etfects and contraindications.