M. M. Fisher – författare

Gallstone disease has afflicted man since antiquity, but only in the past decade has it been recognized as a major health problem and been the subject of widespread investigation. This investiga­ tion, initiated by the definition of the limits of cholesterol solubility in bile, has led to our current understanding of the pathogenesis of gallstone formation and has provided the hasis for a rational approach to the in situ dissolution and prevention of cholesterol gallstones. This volume comprises the papers and discussion which formed the Fourth International Syrnposium of the Canadian Foundation for Diseases of the Liver. The Syrnposiurn, held in Montreal on May 12 and 13, 1978, was designed to bring together investigators from various disciplines and to review the current status of cholesterol gallstone disease. The Editors wish to thank these experts for their lucid and important contributions. We also wish to thank Valerie M. Price and Dianne McFee, of the Canadian Foundation for Diseases of the Liver, for their considerable and expert help in organizing the meeting, and preparing this volume for publication.

Gallstone disease has afflicted man since antiquity, but only in the past decade has it been recognized as a major health problem and been the subject of widespread investigation. This investiga­ tion, initiated by the definition of the limits of cholesterol solubility in bile, has led to our current understanding of the pathogenesis of gallstone formation and has provided the hasis for a rational approach to the in situ dissolution and prevention of cholesterol gallstones. This volume comprises the papers and discussion which formed the Fourth International Syrnposium of the Canadian Foundation for Diseases of the Liver. The Syrnposiurn, held in Montreal on May 12 and 13, 1978, was designed to bring together investigators from various disciplines and to review the current status of cholesterol gallstone disease. The Editors wish to thank these experts for their lucid and important contributions. We also wish to thank Valerie M. Price and Dianne McFee, of the Canadian Foundation for Diseases of the Liver, for their considerable and expert help in organizing the meeting, and preparing this volume for publication.

This was an important Symposium in a rapidly developing field of interest. It was designed to draw attention to areas which have been neglected in standard hepatology textbooks and to review areas of controversy. It was also meant to help bridge the communication gap between hepatologists''caring for children and adults as well as between some areas of clinical and basic research. The Symposium was a substantial success. Unfortunately two of the twenty participants did not deliver a manuscript. The result is a publication which is late and which is not as complete as it should be. For this lateness and incompleteness the editors apolo­ gize most sincerely--especially to those participants who delivered their manuscripts on time but even to those who delivered their manu­ scripts late. perhaps the most noteworthy feature of this publication is the fact that material presented in May 1980 is by no means out of date. Apart from the section on Viral Hepatitis, one of the most rapidly evolving fields of medicine, the context of the Symposium remains disturbingly current. The neglect continues, the controversies remain. We hope that this publication will help draw investigators into liver research, provide a useful point of reference for· those in the field and stand as a monument to editors past, present and future, who have chased, are chasing and will chase manuscripts in vain.