Every specialist, at present, is confronted with the fact that it is continually becoming more difficult to remain 'up to date'. The areas in which he must read are expanding while the individual publications are becoming greater in number, larger in content and appear more frequently. The choice of the subject was not easy. This time we have selected the pharmacological aspects of anaesthesiology as our main topic, as a continu ation of the Boerhaave course in 1971. Although we know that a drug works, the mechanism behind this action is of great importance. The pharmacokinetics and side effects of the drugs we administer affect not only our patients, but also ourselves, our children, and the personnel under our care. In a special section we draw attention to this subject. We fervently hope that this symposium will further enrich your knowledge of anaesthesia and that through this enrichment you will derive more pleasure from the profession you have chosen and that in the end this will lead to even better care and treatment of the patients entrusted to us. We wish to express our thanks to Prof. C. M. Conway, Dr. D. T. Popescu, and Prof. D. M. E. Vermeulen-Cranch for their assistance in the editing of some of the chapters in this book.

Inhalt
I. Volatile Anaesthetics.- 1. Mechanism of action of volatile anaesthetics. A review of theories of anaesthesia compiled by a clinical anaesthetist.- 2. The uptake and distribution of volatile anaesthetics.- 3. Enflurane.- 4. Critical comparative review about anaesthetic agents, including halothane.- II. Drugs Used in Local Anaesthesia.- 5. Pharmacology, toxicity, clinical use.- 6. Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma levels of etidocaine after peridural administration.- III. Drugs Used in General Anaesthesia.- 7. Pharmacokinetics: general aspects.- 8. Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of hypnotic and psychotropic drugs.- 9. Psychotropic and related drugs in anaesthesiological practice.- 10. Barbiturates.- 11. Althesin.- 12. Diazepam Lorazepam and Flunitrazepam.- 13. Ketamine today.- 14. Droperidol.- 15. Etomidate, a new, safe, short-acting intravenous hypnotic experimental pharmacology and interactions.- 16. Clinical experience with etomidate.- IV. Drugs Used in Induced Hypotension.- 17. The physiology and pharmacology of induced hypotension.- 18. The place of sodium nitroprusside.- V. Muscle Relaxant Drugs.- 19. Pharmacokinetics of the non-depolarizing muscle relaxants.- 20. The pharmacokinetics of the steriod muscle relaxants.- 21. New muscle relaxants.- 22. The ideal muscle relaxant.- VI. Professional Hazards.- 23. Professional hazards to anaesthetists of volatile anaesthetic agents.- 24. Inhalation anaesthetics as cause for occupational disease in anaesthesiologists.- 25. The work and working of the anaesthetist in dutch hospitals.- 26. Concentrations of anaesthetic agents in the air in operating rooms.- 27. Air-conditioning in operating rooms.- 28. Controlling occupational exposure to inhalation anaesthetics.- 29. Conclusion and recommandations.