PREFACE 



Early in 1954 the Trustees of the Ciba Foundation desig- 

 nated funds over a period of five years for the encouragement of 

 basic research relevant to the problems of Ageing. One feature 

 of this special programme was to be the organization of smaU 

 international conferences, on lines familiarly known at the 

 Foundation in regard to other subjects in medical research, to 

 assemble and consider such information as could be gathered in 

 the youthful work of ageing research. 



This volume contains the proceedings of the fifth Colloquium 

 on Ageing, and also a combined index to this and the previous 

 four volumes. The Trustees now suspend the Foundation's 

 special stimulation of work in this field. The Director believes 

 that considerable attention has been drawn to the many large 

 gaps in knowledge which must be filled before the postpone- 

 ment and amelioration of senescence can be realized. Research 

 workers should now be left to their task, the size and importance 

 of which cannot be exaggerated. When exciting progress has 

 been made, the Director will, no doubt, be anxious to arrange 

 for further conferences and discussions as part of the general 

 programme of the Foundation. 



The Director and his co-Editor wish to place on record with 

 these proceedings the indebtedness of the Foundation and 

 themselves to Professor Danielli and Dr. Comfort for giving life 

 to this meeting; to Dr. Genese and Miss Chater for its adminis- 

 tration; to Mr. William Hill for his skill and speed in indexing; 

 and to Messrs. J. & A. Churchill Ltd. and Messrs. Spottiswoode, 

 Ballantyne & Co. Ltd. for minimizing, without skimping or 

 harassment, the delay in publication in this difficult year. 



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