Knowledge of iron metabolism has increased rapidly in the past few years. Important contributions have appeared in journals of biochemistry, microbiology, radioisotopes, pathology, hematology, and pharmacology, as well as clinical medicine and therapeutics. Ciba's international symposium brings together much of this information. The list of participants includes many of the world's leading authorities, and the papers nicely cover this growing field. There are five contributions on the biochemistry of iron and four on normal and abnormal physiology, including another in the series of magnificent contributions on iron kinetics by Pollycove. Iron deficiency is discussed in its many facets in six papers, and the diagnostic and metabolic aspects of iron overload in five. Finally, after papers on the oral and parenteral treatment of iron deficiency, there are six on the pharmacology and therapeutics of chelating agents in primary and secondary hemochromatosis. All but one of the papers are in English, with