In the years that have passed since the publication of the last volume of Progress in Pathology have seen many developments and changes in the practice of Pathology. The basis of our work in the diagnosis and understanding of disease processes remains much the same as ever but, as our society becomes more developed and more demanding of its healthcare workers, the challenges that we face grow beyond the basic task of diagnosis, to considerations of the place of the specialty of Pathology within that complex animal, the multidisciplinary team in the hospital, as well as more widely in society itself.

Some of these developments are reflected in the range of chapters to be found within these covers. The selection in this volume extends from basic science and issues in neuropathology and lymphoma, through the effects of drugs in causing, as well as treating, disease in the liver, to consideration of why small children come to die suddenly, and what may be found in the hearts of some adults who also come to autopsy after unexpected deaths. We also include contributions on the developing role of the pathologist as part of the multidisciplinary team and on the legislation that has been enacted in England as a reaction to some of the negative publicity that has impinged upon the specialty in recent years.