The International Skeletal Society is now fifteen years old and as measured in human terms has outgrown its childhood. During this time the ISS has earned worldwide respect and praise for successful work. The International Skeletal Society is an interdisciplinary working group concerned with skeletal diseases, their pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment at all ages. At the Annual Closed Meetings of the ISS prominent scientists representing many countries from all over the world gather to exchange ideas in the fields of radiology, pathology, orthopedic surgery, nephrology, and endocrinology. Follow ing these meetings Refresher Courses are offered for students, physicians in train ing, and interested collegues from the various medical specialities. The purpose of these courses is to present the latest developments in clinical practice and research with regard to skeletal diseases. The Society's internationally well-known journal "Skeletal Radiology," which is published by Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, adds in exchanging updated developments in the field of skeletal disorders. The hereby presented first Book of Members contains a record summarizing the most important milestones and events of the history of the International Skeletal Society up to 1987 in the form of short biographies regarding the members of the Society. The task of gathering all important informations for this book was accom plished by one of the members during his term as President of the ISS. The other one - honorary member - took upon himself the tasks related to publication."

Trauma to the abdomen, both accidental and willful, has become increasingly common in this era of increasing violence. Large numbers of patients all over the country are admitted to emergency rooms because of abdominal trauma of varying degrees of severity. All too often the correct diagnosis is suspected belatedly or not at all, so that proper treatment is not initiated in sufficient time to be lifesaving. Not infre quently, the injured patient is examined by an intern or an insufficiently experienced resident physician. Even in instances where more senior internists and surgeons are available, detailed knowledge about the necessary methodology to establish the correct diagnosis and institute the appropriate treatment is lacking. This monograph, representing the felicitous collaboration of a surgeon and a radiolo gist together with several other contributors, is timely and important. The authors (and their contributors) have approached their subject with a wealth of clinical experi ence obtained in several very active acute-care municipal hospitals in the largest city in this country. They have observed and treated a very large number of patients with a multitude of traumatic causes, including firearm injuries, stab wounds, vehicular accidents, falls, and assaults. The authors have divided this work into four main sections: General Perspectives on Abdominal Injury, Types of Abdominal Injuries, Specific Diagnostic Techniques, and Specific Organ or Supporting-Structure Injury."