This "handbuch" has been published for many decades. Thus, in addition to its obvious value as an up-to-date reference source, permits the reader to gain a sense of historical perspective and proportion by comparing earlier monographs on a given subject with those published in more recent times.
Volume 3, part 3, of this handbuch was issued in 1931; it was devoted to tumors of the pleura and lung. Only 98 pages were needed to present available information. The present volume (published in 1969), is written and edited much more tautly, and is limited to a discussion of tumors of the lung. Yet requires 401 pages. Thus, over the span of 40 years, it appeared desirable or necessary to increase the verbage fourfold, while over the same interval the incidence of carcinoma of the lung in men rose a similar amount. It is likely that the upsurge of available data reflects