The industrialized world has witnessed a steady increase in diseases of the arteries, veins, and lymph vessels in recent years. The prevalence and incidence of arteriosclerotic vascular disease has taken on the character of an epidemic. Diseases of the superficial and deep veins are widespread. Everypracticing physician is confronted daily by arterial circulatory disorders of the supra-aortic vessels, the thoracic and abdominal aorta, and the pelvic and leg arteries as well as by venous and lymphatic diseases.Todayvascular disease isbest managed in an interdisciplinary way; interventional radiologists and neurologists should be part of the team at any established vascular center. Many older colleagues were forced to acquire their knowledge of vascular diseases on their own. There are still many medical schools and hospitals that lack vascular specialists who are capable of passing on their expertise to students. For manyyears there was no expertise in medical angiology in countries such as Great Britain or the United States. All of vascular medicine resided in the hands of vascular surgeons. It is only in the last few years that vascular internists have appeared in these countries as well

Why another dermatology text? In 1973, when Drs. Nasemann and Sauerbrey wrote the introduction to the first edition of Haut krankheiten und venerische Infektionen. they addressed this question. They promised their book would be concise and profusely illustrated to best teach the fundamentals of dermatology. The German text, now in its fourth edition, has been widely successful. In undertaking an American revised translation of their work, it was my hope to meet a need in the English-language literature similar to that met by the German text. I believe that both students and non dermatologic physicians will find this volume a useful introduction to the art and science of treating skin disorders. The practice of dermatology differs from country to country. This text is therefore not simply a translation, but an adaptation that incorporates much new material. In the pages that follow, I have built on the successful framework of the German text, incorporating its excellent photographs and other teaching aids. Discussion of therapy has been extensively revised to reflect current practice in the United States. Original chapters on male infertility and proctology (two dermatologic domains in Germany) are not included in this book. They have been replaced by wholly new chapters on cutaneous surgery and tropical dermatology. We are grateful to Ronald G. Wheeland, M.D., for contributing the surgical chapter.