This publication comprises the reports presented at the Symposium on the Treatmenr­ of Burns, held in Prague on September 13-15, 1973 by the Czech Society of Plastic Surgeons under the auspices of the ISBI on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Prague Burns Unit. The program of the symposium was confined to four topics which under the present state of burn treatment represent the basic range of clinical problems. They are: surgery of the burn wound, anaesthesiology and resuscitation, septicaemia and complications of the burn illness. Most of the reports presented at the Symposium are printed in this book in full, as they were submitted by the authors. Only in some cases were the editors obliged to make minor formal adjustments in the interest of the earliest possible publication of the book. We hope that, after careful study, this publication will arouse the interest of further specialists in such an intricate field as is the treatment of burns and that it will stimulate all those concerned to further work. We should like to thank all those who facilitated the publication of this book by their­ participation in the Symposium and by their co-operation. The Editors Welcoming Address of the President of the Symposium On behalf of the organizing committee I would like to welcome all participants in this symposium.