Not since the 1965 pUblication of Skin Bacteria lind Their Role in Infection has our knowledge of clinical skin microbiology been reviewed and sum­ marized. In the more than a decade and a half since that publication, we have seen a careful reevaluation of the ideas and information current in 1965 and the development of important new discoveries and information. This volume, Skin Microbiology: Relevance to Clinical Infection, reviews developments in the field since 1965 and summarizes the current state ofthe art in thirty-six carefully prepared chapters. Emphasis is on the clinical per­ spective rather than straight microbiology, although we include enough of the latter to put the clinical aspects in a proper scientific context. The authors contributing to this volume represent a cross section of authorities in the many specialty areas that contribute to our knowledge of skin microbiology. They include investigators in microbiology, infectious disease, epidemiology, surgery, pediatrics, and dermatology. Significant ef­ forts have been made to minimize repetition and overlap in the various chapters. In some cases, however, information is deliberately repeated in order to provide for the reader a necessary frame of reference. We hope that this volume will be of value to dermatologists, microbio­ logists, pediatricians, surgeons, public health workers, nurses, and others in­ volved in the diagnosis and treatment of dermatologic problems caused by bacteria. The editors acknowledge with appreciation the assistance of Drs. A. Allen, F. Marzulli, F. Engley, G. Hildick-Smith, A. Kligman, M. Bruch, H. Eiermann, and D. Taplin.