Allergy and Allergic Diseases has been organized to provide an up-to-date, clinically relevant compilation of one of the most exciting areas of investigation in medicine today-allergic disease, especially as it pertains to the skin, airways, and bowel. With the dramatic rise in the incidence of various allergic disorders worldwide, and the coming of age of the discipline of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, the interface between basic and clinical science in this arena demands highlighting in this comprehensive new syn­ thesis.1t is with the hope of filling this evident need that Allergy and Allergic Diseases: The New Mechanisms and Therapeutics has been put together. The book's content is divided into both basic and clinical sections, with emphasis on various components of the immune and inflammatory response as they relate to the development of allergic disease. Topics span the range from molecular biology to clinical symptomatology, with an effort to make this of interest to as broad a constituency as possible. This book will therefore be of substantial interest to specialists in Clinical Immunology and Allergy, scientists studying the cellular and molecular biology of in­ flammation and immunity, as well as internists, teachers, developers of medical school curricula, and members of industry focused on drug discovery and therapeutics. Indeed, a separate section has been added to deal with some specific issues in this latter field.