Following the founding of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) in the USA in 1970, and of other national Critical Care Medicine (CCM) societies in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Israel, South Africa and Central and South America, a World Congress on Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) was held in London in 1973. This first World Congress was organized by Drs. Alan Gilston of the National Herat Hospital in London and Iain McA. Ledingham of Western Infirmary in Glasgow. During the Congress, Dr, Gilston initiated formation of The World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM) which sponsored the second World Congress on Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (ICCM) in Paris in 1977 and the Third World Congress on ICCM in Washington, D. C. in 1981. The Fourth World Congress will be held in Jerusalem, June 23–28, 1985.