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...

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...