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Examining the nature and diversity of urban life during the 16th and 17th centuries, a period of considerable economic, political and social change, this text stresses the extent to which towns remained distinct from their rural hinterlands. Its wide embrace gives it the character ofa history of Europe, viewed from the urban perspective. In achieving the integration of different experiences into the broader discussion, itmanages to retain an acute sense of the importance and development of regional diversity. In assessing the contribution of urban centres in western Europe to long-term change, the focus is primarily on life inside the town. Each chapter considers the framework of urban life - such as the economy, government, elites, social organization, the environment - and the tensions that arose from demographic growth, prosperity or adversity and the growing presence of external pressures. Responses to poverty and threats to social order are paid particular attention. While this study attempts to convey a sense of the parameters and diversity of life in an urban environment during the period, it also provides an insight into the ways in which existing structures of government and institutional organization attempted and often failed, to come to terms with new problems.

In general, existing texts concerned with rheumatic With regard to the general plan of the book, the therapy have either been addressed to specific aspects of chapters are largely self-contained and can be read in treatment or have formed only part of more general any order. However, it is recommended that the 'in­ textbooks. This book has therefore been written to fulfil troductory' chapters (Chapters I, 2, and 4) should be a need for a convenient and comprehensive distillation read before those succeeding them. If a more circuitous route is preferred each chapter is supplied with a list of of material covering the various treatment entities, the contents and a summary to aid swift appraisal. A interrelationships between them, and the wide potential generous system of cross-references and some repetition for their application. of salient points are also intended to help the reader who A further need for such a book stems from the fact uses the book as a reference source. A summary of the that approaches to treatment and their associated whole book is given in the last chapter (Section 12. 10) research reports have continued to grow at a high rate in and contains conclusions about the present status of the recent years. This is particularly so in relation to drug various approaches to therapy, together with suggestions therapy, and the task of reviewing this massive literature about the future.