PREFACE 



The Ciba Foundation's international conferences are 

 arranged, as often as possible, at times when the members 

 can on the same journey also participate in other appropriate 

 conferences in Western Europe. As early as 1952 Professor 

 R. E. Tunbridge asked whether the Ciba Foundation would 

 be willing to hold a suitable conference near the time of the 

 third Congress of the International Association of Geron- 

 tology, to be held in London in July 1954, and to this the 

 Director of the Foundation readily agreed. 



Early in 1954 the Trustees of the Ciba Foundation decided 

 to embark on special measures in support, internationally, of 

 basic research relevant to the problems of ageing, so that the 

 conference already arranged became the first in what it is 

 hoped will be a series of conferences on subjects in this field. 

 In conformity with the Foundation's earlier series of "Collo- 

 quia on Endocrinology" the new series is being called 

 "Colloquia on Ageing," whilst the conferences on isolated 

 subjects will continue to be described as "Symposia". 



In the arrangements for this colloquium on the General 

 Aspects of Ageing, the Director was greatly helped by the 

 advice he received from Professor Tunbridge, who also kindly 

 undertook the duties of Chairman. 



The colloquium was intended to be a general exploration 

 and appreciation of the present position in regard to opinion 

 and experiment on the processes associated with or directly 

 involved in the changes occurring in tissues with age, at 

 whatever period of life of the organism from conception to 

 death. 



To those to whom this book serves as an introduction to 

 the activities of the Ciba Foundation it should be explained 

 that it is an international centre, which is established as an 

 educational and scientific charity under the laws of England. 



