It is a pleasure to contribute a brief foreword to this new, comprehensive 1980s saw an explosion of knowledge in pul text on the pneumonias. The is every reason to expect it to continue through monary science, and there the end of the century. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with all the important advances, even in a restricted area of interest. For this reason, books such as the present one that collate the latest findings on an important clinical topic in a convenient, readable form provide a valuable service. This book is a salutary reminder that there is...