PREFACE 



It was Sir Charles Harington, Director of the National 

 Institute for Medical Research, and also Chairman of the 

 Medical Research Council's Committee on Chemotherapy, 

 who put forward to the Director of the Ciba Foundation the 

 proposal of a symposium on drug resistance. It was his 

 belief that the more fundamental problems at the basis of 

 chemotherapy were not attracting as much attention in re- 

 search as was desirable, and his hope that out of a thorough 

 discussion of the question some suggestions might come which 

 would stimulate fresh investigations, more particularly perhaps 

 on the part of chemists. 



The Director of the Foundation thought it would be most 

 profitable, and more in keeping with the facilities of the 

 Foundation, if the subject to be considered were narrowed 

 down to "Mechanisms of Development of Drug Resistance in 

 Micro-Organisms." With the expert advice and ready 

 assistance of Sir Charles, and also of Dr. M. R. Pollock, such 

 a meeting was realized in March 1957, Sir Charles himself 

 acting as its Chairman. The Trustees and the Director of the 

 Foundation remain much indebted to both of them, and to 

 the Members who contributed so freely and informatively in 

 the papers and discussions. 



The group was a small one, as usual at the Ciba Foundation, 

 partly because the Foundation's accommodation is severely 

 limited, but mainly because experience has shown that useful 

 discussions can best be conducted when members can get to 

 know each other quickly and well, and can be seated in a 

 convenient and comfortable manner for conversation. 



This record of the papers presented and the discussions 

 they aroused is prepared for the many people who could not 

 be invited on this occasion, and the Editors hope it will prove 

 an acceptable substitute for personal participation. 



