This treatise had its origins in the authors' strong opinion that the discovery of new drugs, especially of innovative therapeutic agents, really does not happen as a spontaneous sequel to investiga tive research, no matter how penetrating such research may be. Rather, it seemed to us that the discovery of innovative therapeutic agents was a very active process, existing in and of itself, and demanding full attention-it was not simply a passive, dependent by-process of investigative research. And yet, many researchers some close confreres of the authors, others more distant-believed...